Pep Guardiola has shouldered the blame for Manchester City's underwhelming campaign, and does not feel winning the FA Cup will not make the season a good one.
City are fifth in the Premier League with nine games remaining, while they have also been knocked out of the Champions League.
The FA Cup remains their only realistic chance of salvaging a trophy from their disappointing season, though they must first navigate a tricky quarter-final tie against Bournemouth on Sunday.
City's struggles this season have largely been put down to the loss of Ballon d'Or winner Rodri due to injury and the drop in form of key players from Guardiola's tenure such as Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker, who joined AC Milan in January.
Yet Guardiola said the responsibility lies at his feet.
"The opponents never gave us a red carpet to win the titles that we won in the past," he told reporters, having said he rates his work this season as "really poor".
"My duty was to overcome the situation much better than I have done.
"Hopefully, this will not happen next season. This is important."
According to Opta's predictive model, City have a 57.5% chance of finishing in the top four, though the Premier League's top five are likely to qualify for the Champions League.
Winning the FA Cup would also be a path into Europe (via the Europa League). City have won the trophy twice under Guardiola, last doing so in their treble-winning campaign in 2022-23, while they reached the final last season, losing to Manchester United.
"Of course it would be nice to arrive in the final of the FA Cup and win it, and qualify for the Champions League," said Guardiola.
"That would be a big success but the season has been poor and it's not going to change.
"Our standards and many things were not good, this is the reality. That's not going to change for the fact we win one title or qualify for the Champions League.
"We'll be happy, of course. We want to do it but the season has not been good."
City have won their last seven FA Cup quarter-final ties, with these coming in the last eight campaigns. Their run of reaching the semi-final in six consecutive seasons is already a record in the competition.
Mcnaughtly
0
Pep you need to drop your arrogance and drop players who aren't performing e.g and especially Foden, Bernardo and Kdb
Rubadeilt
0
Rodrigo is the key to unlock all the trophy
Pukbdeklnp
1
city we go into the semi final
Litelntz
1
that's what.genius does and this goes to prove capella so wrong so he can please tapp e capping now...or this is what he meant by when he says pep always wanna be the main man
Vudbmopsuy
1
Shoulder all the blame boss you are too good of a manager to stand in the dug out and see a top team sink like that you should of had tactical experience to turn it around
Dante101
1
the solution to this is simple play the young players so they can prove their worth it worked for foden why isn't pep doing this with Oreily, PUSEY, MUBAMA,ECHIEVERI. LET THEM PLAY IN SENIOR SQUAD 💪🏽. PE NEEDS TO GO COLLECT HIS BALLS BACK FROM HIS WIFE IN SPAIN ASAP AND OFLOAD THE OLD PLAYERS.
Tupbeior
0
come back in the next 5years
Pepabeklmo
1
Pep you are the best manager of all time, everyone knows you will comeback next season.
luobntuyz
0
You’re mad what is in city?
You need to sleep
Sorman101
0
Go to hell,you don't know shit about City
You’re mad what is in city?
luobntuyz
0
Which injury? How many injuries did he face when ten hag have lot of injuries not you guys says injury isn’t an excuse?
Go to hell,you don't know shit about City
Sorman101
0
The big problem that hit City this season were too much injuries n it's not anyone's fault.
Which injury? How many injuries did he face when ten hag have lot of injuries not you guys says injury isn’t an excuse?
Yaroyaro63
1
😲
zowabiklny
1
city will never be great again. they're now an average team, just like every other EPL team. they can be great this season and flop the next season. that will be their story now
comes from the 13
Olari
1
not your fault, let's try again next season,as supporters we fully believe you can turn this time around,l sujest you look for a good goalkeeper
city will never be great again. they're now an average team, just like every other EPL team. they can be great this season and flop the next season. that will be their story now
luobntuyz
0
The big problem that hit City this season were too much injuries n it's not anyone's fault.
yezalors
6
not your fault, let's try again next season,as supporters we fully believe you can turn this time around,l sujest you look for a good goalkeeper