Cancelo’s red card – a decision the boss had no issue with – resulted in a penalty that Fulham equalised from.
It his left his team with another another 70 minutes or so to be played with only 10 men.
Ultimately, it ended in a hard-fought 2-1 victory for City – but Pep revealed it was a complicated situation.
“We spoke about when the keeper has the ball to try to go man to man or high, their centre-back tries to be high,” said Guardiola.
“The people in the middle are so intuitive in how to go in the positions and to drop away and when you feel it, go.
“But especially this can happen because we have a lot of possession - we can’t attack quickly.
“Patience with set pieces like in first that we had two or three when it was 10 v 11, it was so clear, two goals disallowed for nothing.
“We were patient, in the last minutes they had some counter-attacks, but you see how John (Stones) played today – amazing. Bernardo, Rodri everyone.
“It was so exciting, the emotion as a manager seven years here, you have doubts, retire, thousands of training (days) and travel, but still they are alive and want to do it.
“It makes me so, so proud”
And responding to the post-match comments from Erling Haaland saying he had never been so nervous before taking a penalty, Pep was asked what his advice would be in that situation.
He said: “The penalty wasn’t the best I’d seen in my life, but he hit it strongly.
“Always I say this about Riyad - if it’s soft, it’s 50/50 - if it’s strong 75/25 - Leno I know from Germany, he’s an incredible penalty saver.
“Erling finished good and destiny seems like all was against us today - but in the end we could win.”
