Guardiola prefers Man City development to ´lucky´ trophy win ahead of EFL Cup semi-final

Pep Guardiola insists improving Manchester City’s performances is more important to him than grinding out trophy wins, ahead of their EFL Cup showdown with Newcastle United.

City will visit St James’ Park for the first leg of a last-four tie against the holders on Tuesday, with a place in the final – against Arsenal or Chelsea – on the line.

They won the EFL Cup four times in Guardiola’s first five campaigns at the helm, with Brian Clough, Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho the only other coaches to lift the trophy on four occasions.

City have not won the EFL Cup since overcoming Tottenham in the 2020-21 final, though they have won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the Champions League since then.

However, Guardiola insists he would not take a “lucky” trophy win over a clear development in City’s style.

“It’s not about winning or not winning trophies, it’s about how the team grows up, how the team gets better,” Guardiola told reporters on Monday.

“Last season we didn’t deserve to win more than just one trophy [the Community Shield], because we didn’t play well.

“The satisfaction of winning a trophy when we are not playing well can happen, if the knockout stages are lucky. But it’s not about that, believe me.

“We are here to make the team play better, for the satisfaction of making a good performance for ourselves and our fans to say, ‘We had fun for 95 minutes!’ That is the point.

“And the next game, things that we can do better, we will do it better. That is the target, and all the time it has been like that.

“When you are in that process, at the end you fight for the titles and can win them.”

City have progressed from each of their last six EFL Cup semi-final ties, four of which have come under Guardiola, and they have gone on to win the trophy each time.

They last fell at the semi-final stage in 2011-12, against eventual winners Liverpool, though Newcastle’s three victories in as many EFL Cup semi-final appearances is the best 100% win ratio in the competition’s history.

The Magpies ended their 70-year major trophy drought by overcoming Liverpool in last year’s final, having also been runners-up to Manchester United in 2023, and Guardiola insists City could not have had a more difficult draw.

“I didn’t sleep last night thinking about how my genius can come up with a plan for Eddie Howe,” Guardiola quipped.

“In the many years since Eddie Howe took over, look how many games they have won in the last minute – with the push from the crowd. It’s always been like that for a long time.

“In that stadium, it is special. In the semi-finals, playing Arsenal and Chelsea, it would be as difficult as Newcastle. I don’t think it should be any different.”