Jamie Redknapp reveals problem with Pep Guardiola giving Crystal Palace stars Arsenal ‘team talk’

Jamie Redknapp believes Pep Guardiola’s passionate ‘team talk’ for Crystal Palace stars will likely have fallen on deaf ears given many of those players will be rested for the side’s crunch match with Arsenal.

Manchester City swept past Palace in a comprehensive 3-0 victory to ensure their title battle with Arsenal will go down to the wire, with just two matches remaining of the campaign.

Phil Foden produced one of his finest performances of the season at the Etihad, assisting both of City’s opening goals through Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush, before Savinho finished off a flowing team move to put the contest to bed in the 84th minute.

The result saw City close the gap to two points again ahead of the side’s trip to Bournemouth next Tuesday night. Guardiola’s men then wind up their season with what could be pivotal clash at home to Aston Villa.

Premier League leaders Arsenal, meanwhile, will look to move five points clear again when they host lowly Burnley on Monday evening, before travelling to Selhurst Park to lock horns with Palace six days later.

Shortly after the final whistle at the Etihad, an animated Guardiola was seen speaking with a number of Palace’s first-team stars, including Chris Richards, Jefferson Lerma, Maxence Lacroix and Adam Wharton.

This is not out of the ordinary for the City boss, whose post-match chinwags with opposition players have become something of a tradition – behaviour he has previously joked is ‘for the cameras’ and his ‘ego’.

But addressing the pictures in the Sky Sports studio, Redknapp speculated that there may have been a little more meaning in Guardiola’s words than usual given the seismic ramifications of Palace’s final-day encounter with Arsenal.

‘City just have to keep going and hope there’s a little bit of pressure on Arsenal, a few doubts across their minds and they struggle,’ the ex-Liverpool, Tottenham and England midfielder said.

‘I think Burnley will be straightforward [for Arsenal] but Crystal Palace… I watching Pep at the end of the game and he was certainly giving them a team talk and a half, trying to get them going for that game.

‘He was very, very animated. We always see him maybe going up to one or two players.

‘But he’s like, “Jefferson [Lerma], listen, in midfield, you’ve got to make sure you get close to Declan Rice“… “You, [Maxence] Lacroix, you’ve been brilliant this season, keep going! If you keep doing good I’ll sign you!”… “Adam [Wharton], you control that midfield!”‘

However, Redknapp reminded City fans that some of those players collared by Guardiola may actually be rested for the Arsenal showdown given Palace face Rayo Vallecano in the Europa Conference League final just three days later.

‘The thing is, most of these players won’t be playing I would have thought because they’ll be rested,’ he explained.

‘That’s my feeling anyway, they’ve earned that right.’

Sky Sports presenter Kelly Cates gave City supporters something to cling onto as she recalled how – back in 2021 – Oliver Glasner went with a full-strength team in the Bundesliga just four days out from Eintracht Frankfurt’s Europa League final victory.

‘Maybe, who knows? You want to keep players active and playing,’ Redknapp responded.

‘There will be one or two, he’s a very measured manager. He’ll make sure if people need the game… because obviously with sports science now you understand who needs to play and who doesn’t.

‘But if there’s any risk whatsoever then he won’t take that chance because it’s such a big game for the club.’

Facing the media at his post-match press conference, Guardiola applauded Palace’s performance and singled out Foden for special praise after what has been a difficult season for the England international.

‘This type of game, low block, Palace defend so well,’ he told reporters.

‘They did similar in the final of the FA Cup last year, defended really well with transitions and you need quality, spark, talent, vision – something that is not on tactical boards, meetings, videos, training.

‘He [Foden] receives the ball there in the small spaces and creates something that only good players can deliver. I’m really pleased for him.’

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