Crystal Palace’s stunning FA Cup exit at the hands of non-league Macclesfield reportedly led to half-time confrontation between manager Oliver Glasner and captain Marc Guehi.
The holders of the famous trophy were beaten 2-1 by National League North side Macclesfield in the third round, a result widely regarded as one of the competition’s most remarkable upsets.
But beyond the shock scoreline at the Leasing.com Stadium, it was events in the tunnel that have since drawn attention.
Macclesfield stunned Palace when Paul Dawson struck shortly before the interval, leaving the Premier League side trailing against opponents several divisions below them.
The timing of the goal proved crucial, shifting momentum and energising the home side heading into the break.
According to Macclesfield assistant manager Francis Jeffers, emotions spilled over as the teams made their way off the pitch.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, Jeffers described witnessing a heated exchange between Glasner and Guehi in the tunnel.
“I think it was at 42 [43, minutes] we scored, so we scored at the right time,” he recalled.
“We get in at half-time, the lads are excited. I will say it, I don’t know whether I should be saying it, Glasner and Marc Guehi are going at it in the tunnel at half-time.
“I was walking past and I thought, ‘I like that!’ There’s an edge, they’re not happy with something.”
Jeffers suggested the disagreement reflected the scale of Palace’s frustration at finding themselves behind in such unexpected circumstances. For Macclesfield, however, it was seen as a sign that their opponents were rattled.
When asked whether he relayed the incident to his own players, Jeffers admitted he had used it as added motivation.
“Yeah, I did,” he said.
“I said, ‘Look, there’s big disagreements there between the manager and captain… so, you’ve clearly rattled a cage. More of the same second half.'”
Macclesfield went on to complete the upset, sealing a famous victory and ending Palace’s hopes of retaining the trophy at the earliest stage possible.
The result was celebrated as one of the great FA Cup ‘cupsets’, underlining the competition’s reputation for unpredictability.
Just nine days after the defeat, Guehi completed a move to Manchester City in a deal worth £20 million plus add-ons.
With only a few months left on his contract at Selhurst Park, Palace faced the prospect of losing him for nothing in the summer. Instead, they opted to cash in during the January window.
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The transfer brought an end to Guehi’s spell with the Eagles, where he had established himself as a leader and a consistent performer in defence.
While there is no suggestion that the tunnel incident directly influenced the transfer, the sequence of events has fuelled speculation about tensions behind the scenes during Palace’s difficult FA Cup outing.
At Manchester City, Guehi has quickly begun to integrate into Pep Guardiola’s squad. He has made five appearances in all competitions since his arrival, offering defensive reinforcement as City continue to compete on multiple fronts.
His impact was felt most recently in the FA Cup, where he scored the second goal in a 2-0 victory over Salford City on Saturday.
The result secured City’s place in the fifth round and kept their own cup ambitions alive.
As City press on in pursuit of further silverware, Guehi’s role in their plans appears to be growing. For Palace, the focus shifts to stabilising their season without a player who had worn the armband and anchored their defence.
