Passionate Guardiola continues to solve Man City puzzle

Sometimes there is no need to say anything.

When you are as expressive on the touchline as Pep Guardiola, visual evidence can be enough to gauge the importance of an occasion.

In Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, there was a long period of simmering discontent, then thinly disguised fury at the penalty given against his team after referee Craig Pawson had been told to stop the game to check Ruben Dias' 'foul' on Jacob Ramsey.

Most thought video assistant referee (VAR) John Brooks was right. Guardiola was not among them. He shook his head, ranted at his coaches on the bench, then launched a tirade towards the nearby fourth official.

Guardiola was booked for his emotive reaction but he felt wronged. He was still shaking his head forcefully, his face set like stone, as the replay was shown on the big screen at the exact moment he returned to his seat after half-time.

Then there was a demand for more noise, gesturing to all parts of the ground for City's fans to turn up the volume, and a familiar sink to the knees as James McAtee's delicate lob dropped just the wrong side of the post.

Finally there was the tension release of Matheus Nunes' injury-time winner. Guardiola reacted as though he had scored himself, acknowledging the noise from the fans he wanted more from earlier.

There was a storming of the pitch as the whistle blew, a hug - tight - for Nunes, a laugh and a joke with Kevin de Bruyne, who at the weekend revealed his manager had not even made an offer for him to stay at the end of the season.

Make no mistake, this win was big.

"You don't have to be a scientist to realise that we were playing against Aston Villa, one of the best teams, as you saw against Newcastle and PSG," said Guardiola.

"They are an extraordinary team but we performed as we did in the past with the commitment.

"Qualification for the Champions League is important, of course, but sometimes we have to be calm. We must focus on the semi-final and after we have days to prepare for the four 'finals'. Two at home, two away."

By that, Guardiola means Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest, and then back to the Premier League for key games against Wolves and relegated Southampton before the final two - Bournemouth at home, Fulham away - interspersed, he hopes, with another trip to Wembley.

In Guardiola's mind, it is all so clear.

It is why detached observers are led to the conclusion City's football is regimented.

Yet, the reality is Guardiola is making subtle tweaks as the season goes on.

He accepts what he has now is not what even he expected when the campaign began, when Rodri and Erling Haaland were available, not on the bench as they were again against Villa due to injury.

No-one would have predicted Saturday's hero at Everton would be 20-year-old Nico O'Reilly, making his fourth league start. Against Villa it would be Nunes, signed from Wolves for £53m in September 2023 when a plan to bring in Lucas Paqueta from West Ham had to be aborted, who turned into a right-back rather than his central midfield scheming role.

"If you told me at the beginning of the season that at the end of it we would be fighting for the FA Cup final or to qualify for the Champions League with Nico and Matheus at full-back, I'd say: 'What are you talking about?'" said Guardiola.

"Matheus is a person that is incredibly loved. When you talk with the journalists he's always so serious but in the locker room he's always laughing.

"He has physicality for when he has to run and sustain the wingers. Step by step he has been so important."

It's another puzzle solved for Guardiola. Another solution found.

It will be fascinating now to see if City can keep alive their hopes of domestic silverware alive.

They have failed to win at least one trophy only three times since they won the FA Cup in 2011 to end their long wait for success.

Since Guardiola's first season in 2016-17, City have always won at least one of the three domestic competitions on offer.

In theory, the supporters have never had it so good.

But many are not happy. Protests against ticket prices took place again before kick-off.

Those running the club argue the finance generated allows Guardiola to have the squad he demands. The fans do not agree - and Guardiola agrees with them.

"I am on the side of the people," he said. "I'm a supporter for Manchester City as well.

"I don't have to pay [for] the tickets but I understand the feeling.

"When I go to the theatre or to a concert and I pay for the ticket, I want to see something I like.

"We want them here and we want a full stadium every time."