'The ball is not right' - Pep Guardiola echoes Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta as he comes up with bizarre excuse for Man City's striking struggles in FA Cup against Plymouth

The reigning Premier League champions required teenage midfielder Nico O’Reilly to dig them out of an FA Cup hole during a fifth round tie with Plymouth, as he scored twice in a 3-1 victory that saw City battle back from falling behind to the Championship giant killers – who had dumped Liverpool out at the previous stage.

City failed to trouble the target with 10 of their efforts on goal, with the likes of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rico Lewis skewing shots over the crossbar or wide of the post. Guardiola has suggested that the Mitre ball used in FA Cup competition is to blame for the finishing faux pas from his side.

Guardiola told reporters: “Normally the ball goes inside from these shots. It's difficult to control it. Many years, many players and managers say about that. When you lose it [sounds like] you're complaining but the ball is not right. I’m sorry. In many years it's happened in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, I know it's a business and they come to agreements.”

He went on to say when asked if he has asked for the relevant balls to be changed: “I've said it for many years. I'd like to play Champions League when we play on Wednesday, we play on Saturday... play on Sunday. There are things out of our control.

“I’ve said my opinion and the people say fine or not fine. We won so people will be nice to me but if we lose I would think the same. I would not say it because I don’t want to be punished but it’s the truth. The Champions League ball is exceptional, the Premier League ball is exceptional, but this one is not good.”

Arsenal boss Arteta aired similar grievances back in January after seeing the Gunners lose a Carabao Cup semi-final clash with Newcastle. He said of the PUMA-branded balls in that competition: “It's just different. It's very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that. It flies different... when you touch it, the grip is very different as well so you have to adapt to that.”

City have not fared too badly with the FA Cup ball in recent times, with success in that competition forming part of the club’s treble triumph in 2022-23. They also made the final last season – facing arch-rivals Manchester United for the second year in succession – and are now preparing for quarter-final date with Bournemouth in 2025.