Pep Guardiola confronts Crystal Palace keeper Dean Henderson over red card controversy | Football News
In a thrilling FA Cup final at Wembley, Crystal Palace beat Manchester City 1–0 and won the greatest trophy in their 164-year club history. Although the win was ground-breaking for Crystal Palace, the game ended on a bitter note when Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had a row with goalkeeper Dean Henderson over a contentious first-half handball decision, which might have turned into a red card.
Pep Guardiola’s confrontation adds heat to a tense finish
The flash point came about when Dean Henderson appeared to handle the ball outside his 18-yard box. Manchester City players made appeals to the referee, however, VAR decided that the incident did not meet the sending-off criteria and did not prevent a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Guardiola was furious and faced off against Henderson after the final whistle.Dean Henderson later revealed his exchange with the Manchester City boss, telling BBC Sport, “After the game I said to him, ‘You got your 10 minutes like you wanted.'” Guardiola, for his part, claimed that he said “nothing” in response.The Palace shot-stopper, however, remained focused on the result’s significance. “It’s incredible, we had a feeling it would be our day today. We deserve this so much,” Henderson told BBC Sport after the end of the match.
Heroics from Dean Henderson seal Palace’s triumph
Amid all the happenings on the pitch, fans should not overlook an outstanding performance by Henderson which itself played a significant part in Palace’s historic victory. The keeper kept out six efforts in all, including a superb penalty stop from Omar Marmoush shortly after the handball incident, 10 minutes from the end of the first half.
“To be fair Haaland might have stepped up, I wasn’t sure which way to go, but Marmoush, I knew where he was going,” Henderson explained his confidence in his post-match interview with BBC Sport.In a deeply emotional moment, he dedicated the win to his late father: “I lost my dad at the start of the season, but he was there every kick of the ball with me today. I dedicate this win to him.”
Football pundits weigh in on the red card debate
The VAR decision not to give Dean Henderson a red card was described as “absolutely perfect” by TV pundits. Former England internationals, including Wayne Rooney and Ian Wright, were among those branding the decision “pathetic” and arguing that the goalkeeper should have seen red for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.Also Read: Crystal Palace – that inspired AFC Richmond from Ted Lasso – wins its major trophyPep Guardiola’s frustration was to be seen at Wembley. However, it was Crystal Palace who paraded beneath the lights, winning not only one FA Cup but a place in the 2025-26 Europa League, something they had never done before.
