Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola faces the FA Cup final dilemma: stick with Stefan Ortega – who has played every domestic cup game – or bring in Ederson for their mammoth clash with Manchester United
- Pep Guardiola faces a big decision as to who to start in goal
- Stefan Ortega played all national cup games for Man City this season
- The decision not to start Ederson in last year’s FA Cup semi-final cost City
Pep Guardiola faces a major selection dilemma over who to start in goal ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup final.
Manchester City are chasing a historic Treble, with the first of two showpieces against rivals Manchester United at Wembley.
Second-choice goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who came over on a free transfer from the German Arminia Bielefeld last summer, played every national cup match in both competitions this season.
Ortega impressed Guardiola, starting three of the last six Premier League games as City clinched the title.
But the magnitude of Saturday’s encounter gives the City boss a headache – whether to continue with the 30-year-old or to choose regular No. 1 Ederson between the sticks.
Pep Guardiola faces a selection dilemma ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup final
Stefan Ortega (left) has started every domestic cup game this season, but leaving Ederson (right) out of the starting line-up against Manchester United would be a brave decision
City’s decision to play Zack Steffen (pictured) instead of Ederson proved costly in the semi-finals of the same competition last year when they played another rival in Liverpool
The decision to pick Zack Steffen for last year’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool turned out to be a mistake after two high-profile mistakes by the American contributed to City trailing three goals before the break.
Steffen also made a mistake in the 2021 semi-final when he was caught out of position and Hakim Ziyech scored the winner for Chelsea. Worth around £10 million, he spent this term on loan at Middlesbrough and looks set to leave permanently before next season.
Guardiola is in form to head back to Ederson for big games, with young Aro Muric on the bench in the 2019 Carabao Cup campaign after playing in every round up to the final. The former Benfica goalkeeper also played in every round as City won the FA Cup in 2019.
Ederson said on Thursday that Guardiola will be candid about his decision-making regardless.
“I think he’s such a good coach who says everything he has to say to your face,” said Ederson.
He lives, breathes football. He is very demanding. His mind is constantly filled with thoughts, but we know him. When it’s time to criticize you, he criticizes you; when it’s time to swear at you, he swears at you on the field; when it’s time to praise you, he praises you.’
The Brazilian takes a pair of lucky pants to London and adds: ‘I have a superstition that I wear the same underwear every match. I always wear the same underwear every game.’