Pep Guardiola's response to Liverpool's Premier League title win sums him up

Pep Guardiola guided Manchester City to their third consecutive FA Cup final and then issued a challenge to the new Premier League champs Liverpool, promising a fierce battle for the title next term. City secured their spot in the Wembley showdown on May 17 against Crystal Palace after Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol netted goals to defeat Nottingham Forest.

However, Guardiola didn't miss the chance to commend Arne Slot and his squad for snapping City's four-year grip on the league crown, while also making it clear he aims to reclaim the throne next season.

"Before I start, on behalf of myself and all the club, we want to congratulate Liverpool or their Premier League victory," Guardiola declared. "It's well deserved, no doubts about that.

"They are a fantastic team. For one year, they're going to retain the title and hopefully next season we can be better to compete until the end, which this season was not possible. So congratulations to Liverpool."

Despite another final on the horizon, Guardiola admitted that triumphing in the FA Cup and securing a Champions League spot through the Premier League standings wouldn't compensate for City's lacklustre season. Trailing the champions Liverpool by 21 points and having bowed out before the last 16 of the Champions League, City's campaign has fallen short of expectations, reports the Mirror.

Asked about whether claiming the FA Cup title and securing a Champions League spot next season would compensate for the season's letdowns, Guardiola was forthright in his response: "Nooo! This season has not been good. We are a thousand million points behind Liverpool. it's not good. Look at the Champions League. We won one game? Two games?".

"We were always a machine and we have not been good this season, but the damage will be minor. It's not going to confuse the fact that the season has not been good. The club has to make the right decisions so next season we will be better."

Meanwhile, Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White, who rattled the woodwork twice after the interval, extended a heartfelt apology to supporters for squandering key opportunities.

"It's devastating," admitted Gibbs-White. "I feel sorry for the fans. I hold my hands up and apologise. I should have scored at least one of them. As a team we didn't start well and then in the second-half we came out fighting and gave it absolutely everything.

"The support never stopped until the very last second and we thank the fans for that, because they've been so consistent with us throughout the season. We gave it our everything but we keep going. We've still got the Premier League to focus on."

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