Big guns on standby for Citypublished at 12:38 BST 28 April
12:38 BST 28 April
Pat Nevin Former footballer and presenter
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The FA Cup is supposed to be about fairytales but Leeds and Southampton weren't able to keep those dreams alive, despite valiant efforts.
Manchester City will be waiting for Chelsea after initially fielding what was not far off a second string starting line-up. In reality it isn't about fairytales - it is about winning.
City's quality shone through in the end, even if it took 82 long minutes. When the final whistle went, no one was even slightly surprised that Pep Guardiola's men were still in the running for the domestic treble.
The question is, will City send out another weakened side for the final if the league chase is still neck and neck?
Had City still been in the Champions League, it wouldn't have surprised me. As it is Pep knows the importance of trophies for his legacy, so expect Erling Haaland and co. to be ready and waiting for Chelsea in three weeks' time.
'We used to have that with Nani' - Rooney on Doku formpublished at 07:50 BST 28 April
07:50 BST 28 April
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Jeremy Doku has become a "nightmare to play against", according to Wayne Rooney, who has compared the Manchester City winger to former Manchester United team-mate Nani.
The 23-year-old came off the bench to score and assist in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final victory over Southampton, and Rooney thinks Doku's upped his consistency this campaign.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, he said: "When we went off-air [on Saturday], I said to him 'when you went around the goalkeeper, why didn't you shoot?', and he said 'I was on my left foot and I've seen one of my team-mates in a better position'.
"So I said he needs to be a bit more selfish and he was laughing, but I thought he was brilliant when he came on.
"He's been a little bit inconsistent over the past couple seasons but this season I think he's been brilliant - a nightmare for defenders to play against.
"He is a player who will frustrate you as a forward. We used to have that with Nani. You don't know what decision they're going to make so it's difficult to read them but they will pull off moments of brilliance and I think he's been so much more consistent this season.
"When he's in that form it's so difficult for anyone to defend."
'Arsenal will win the league, but all of the pressure is on them'published at 18:04 BST 27 April
18:04 BST 27 April
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Manchester City will "slip up once or twice" in the Premier League title race to crown Arsenal champions, says former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.
"I thought the Newcastle game was so important," Rooney said in the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show. "If Arsenal go and win that then they really can go and win every game. That was such a big win.
"I feel City have a couple of tricky games in there coming up and I can see them slipping up once or twice."
But despite predicting Arsenal as title-winners, when co-host Kae Kurd asked Rooney which dressing room he would rather be in, Rooney said: "City's - 100%.
"It depends what you're going for. In terms of the Premier League race, you'd rather be in City's one because, [although] I think Arsenal will win it, it's a challenge for City to go and win it again.
"But for Arsenal, all the pressure is on them to go and win the league."
Pat: Different game when Doku came on - he put the fear into Southampton's defence and was involved in a lot of what we did well in the second half.
Harry: Very good performance against possibly the most resilient defence and goalkeeping we've seen all season. So with that said, the negatives. Marmoush can do nothing other than shoot - unless he improves his dribbling, ball-carrying and first touch, he's not suitable as a back-up. Foden was completely invisible and Savinho's decision-making is terrible, although his dribbling is good. The positives: Kovacic has to stay, Gonzalez deserves more minutes and us losing Trafford will be a terrible decision. Southampton were incredible and would 100% have deserved that final. Credit to their fans and good luck in your promotion bid.
George: That's City for you. You can frustrate them and thwart them, as Saints did admirably (and with a superb goal by the way), but then they just pull it out of seemingly nowhere. Saints were great at times, but them's the breaks.
Alan: Got away with one big time. Big doubts when the team was announced because of too much change. Disappointed in Foden, which breaks our hearts. Doku changed the game. Well done Saints - the team and fans did your club proud.
Lotfi: Manchester City always had it difficult against the Saints. Back in 2017, it took Sterling's 96th-minute goal to win it at the Etihad. In the last game of the centurion season, we had to wait to the 93rd minute for Jesus to score at St Mary's stadium. In 2023, the Treble season, they knocked us out of the League Cup. They were very organised and disciplined defensively, but City always find a way to break defences and get the result. Now, FA Cup aside, let's refocus on the league. Come on, City.
Youssef: On to a fourth FA Cup final in a row - domestic treble, here we come!
Brian: City dug deep and, in doing so, dug out a hard-fought victory. Exciting football and Southampton defended in packs. Space in the Southampton goal area was at a premium. This was end to end in the last 20 minutes and both sets of fans can rightly be proud of a feast of attacking and defensive football. City had the vast amount of possession and their failure to convert this to more goal chances is a concern going into the final stages of two trophies. Pep was obviously concerned and the high number of substitutes in the last 25 minutes was evidence of frustration. However, a win in normal time is a bonus and the squad was primarily injury-free at the final whistle. As it stands, City have one hand on the FA Cup. They do, however, need more goals to win the Premier League. Keep ball won't win the league.
Gossip: Stones and Silva's futures still undecidedpublished at 07:29 BST 27 April
07:29 BST 27 April
John Stones has offered his services to Barcelona as he edges closer to leaving Manchester City when his contract expires in June. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external
Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva is attracting interest from Juventus, Barcelona, Paris St-Germain and Al-Hilal. (Caught Offside), external
'City taking the big moments'published at 12:50 BST 26 April
12:50 BST 26 April
Shamoon Hafez Football reporter
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This time last year, Liverpool were thrashing Tottenham to win the Premier League, with Manchester City 18 points behind during a season in which they failed to win a major trophy.
Pep Guardiola pointed out his side did win the Community Shield but by his impeccable standards, the campaign had been a major disappointment.
City sealed qualification for the Champions League on the final day, which proved to be high point, as further dismay followed in the Club World Cup in the United States.
Established stars such as Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish and Ederson were allowed to leave in the summer, and there were questions marks over the rebuild with a cohort of younger players brought in.
Doubts only grew with a sticky start featuring two defeats in their opening three games this season, then starting 2026 with three consecutive draws, but the new blood appears to be flowing at the right time.
They got a taste of silverware by lifting the Carabao Cup and will be heavy favourites in the FA Cup final whether they face Chelsea or Leeds United, but regaining the Premier League may prove the toughest challenge.
City went top of the table on goals scored by edging to victory at Burnley on Wednesday but find themselves back in second and chasing Arsenal once more after the Gunners ground out a victory over Newcastle.
The Spaniard said: "Six games – if we win we will be there, if we lose it is over. People ask to define [City], how many Champions Leagues? How many this and that? To define the club, five Carabao Cup [wins] and playing four FA Cup finals in a row.
"You can always have a bad afternoon, a bad day with injuries and you cannot be there. In the Premier League, always we were there. We are in the final again, we have time to prepare with our fans. Now it is easy because it has been a tough week mentally and physically."
Former City defender Micah Richards said on BBC One: "When it looked like Manchester City were down and out, they found it from somewhere and that is what champions do.
"I still see some frailties in City's game on transitions, but at this moment in the season it is all about big moments, and they are taking the big moments."
Man City 2-1 Southampton: What Guardiola and Gonzalez saidpublished at 19:51 BST 25 April
19:51 BST 25 April
Media caption,
Manchester City bos Pep Guardiola speaking to BBC Sport: "Exceptional [performance]. It was difficult but the wingers when they came in changed the pace.
"The first time they crossed the halfway line they made a fantastic goal. Football is always unpredictable but the way we played in the second half was extraordinary."
On if he expected Nico Gonzalez to score the winner: "No I expect it more from the wingers and strikers but he deserves it. He has made an incredible season and what a goal. He has to believe in himself more that he can do more and not play to be safe. That is the mentality he has to play with as a holding midfielder. He is a young guy and can improve a lot."
On what he said to Tijjani Reijnders after he was substituted off: "I said I want to kill him because how good he played. Tijjani is another guy who didn't play the last games but he did really good."
On an exciting end to the season: "It's always nice to be here fighting against top teams. No team has made four finals in a row [before]. It's extraordinary and hopefully we can arrive with a good momentum."
City's winning goalscorer Nico Gonzalez, speaking to BBC Sport and asked first if he has ever scored a better goal: "I don't remember to be honest, maybe last season but it wasn't that good to be fair.
"It was amazing to score at the end. In this amazing stadium, with this atmosphere, an amazing feeling.
"I had chances to shoot because they were defending so deep. I was waiting for the chance and I gave it everything.
"It has been a really important week for us. We are alive in the league and in another final. This will be my second FA Cup final and I hope we can win it."
Did you know?
Manchester City have become the first ever side to qualify for four consecutive FA Cup finals.
Pep Guardiola has now won 45 of his 53 matches with City in the FA Cup, with his 85% win rate being the highest of any manager in the competition's history – he has now qualified for five finals, only George Ramsay, Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have reached more (8 each)
Erling Haaland has now played eight matches for Manchester City at Wembley without scoring, the only venue he's played at more than twice without scoring a goal for the Cityzens.
Man City v Southampton: Team newspublished at 16:24 BST 25 April
16:24 BST 25 April
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has gambled with his team selection by playing many of his second string for this FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
There are eight changes in total from the side that beat Burnley in midweek.
John Stones plays for the first time since the win over Newcastle in the earlier rounds and he also take the captain's armband, with his long-term future at City unclear.
James Trafford starts in goal, with the likes of Nathan Ake, Nico Gonzalez, Mateo Kovacic, Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden and Omar Marmoush all coming in.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, Abdukodir Khusanov, Marc Guehi, Bernardo Silva, Nico O'Reilly, Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland all drop out.
Man City XI: Trafford, Nunes, Stones, Ake, Ait-Nouri, Gonzalez, Kovacic, Reijnders, Cherki, Foden, Marmoush.
Championship high-flyers Southampton make six changes from their draw against Bristol City last time out.
Welington, Caspar Jander, Cameron Braggs, Tom Fellows, Leo Scienza and Ross Stewart all come into the side.
Flynn Downes is suspended, while Ryan Manning, Shea Charles, Kuryu Matsuki, Cameron Archer and Cyle Larin drop out.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis captains the Saints against his old side.
Sutton's predictions: Man City v Southamptonpublished at 11:05 BST 25 April
11:05 BST 25 April
Southampton drew with Bristol City on Tuesday but, before then, they had won seven in a row in the Championship, and they played really well to knock Arsenal out in the last round too.
I was at St Mary's Stadium when Saints knocked Manchester City out of the League Cup in 2023, which shows you what could happen here.
I don't see a shock this time, though.
Tonda Eckert has done a phenomenal job with Saints but I still think City will come out comfortable winners, as long as they are not as wasteful as they were against Burnley.
Man City v Southampton: FA Cup semi-final previewpublished at 19:38 BST 24 April
19:38 BST 24 April
Matthew Hobbs BBC Sport journalist
Saturday 11 April may prove to be a defining date in Manchester City's season.
A week after Pep Guardiola's side had knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup, Arsenal had the chance to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 12 points. Instead, they lost at home to Bournemouth.
Since that game, City have won their past three matches, including a crucial triumph against the Gunners, along with Wednesday night's victory at Burnley.
It means that City return to the FA Cup sitting top of the Premier League table on goals scored. By the time they face Southampton on Saturday, Guardiola and his players will have led the Premier League for a grand total of 10 days this season.
Celebrations following a workmanlike victory at Turf Moor did not match the exuberance of those that came after last weekend's win over Arsenal, although the result is no less significant. City's ambitions are now firmly aligned with the second domestic treble of Guardiola's near 10-year tenure and they will next target passage to a fourth successive FA Cup final. To do so they must defeat a non-Premier League side – the kind they like to face in this competition.
Southampton, though, are likely to provide a far sterner test than the average underdog. The Championship side are on a 20-game unbeaten run, winning 16, and while Tuesday's 2-2 draw with Bristol City ended a run of eight straight victories, Tonda Eckert's team once again showcased their resilience by twice coming from behind to earn a point.
Only Lincoln City are currently on a longer unbeaten run in the top four tiers of English football, while Saints' 20-game streak is better than any Premier League outfit has managed this season – underlining the impact that Eckert has made in turning them into promotion contenders since swapping his coaching role with the under-21 side to replace the sacked Will Still in November.
Next week marks 50 years since Second Division Southampton famously defeated Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup final and the spirit of that cup run has been invoked in this campaign. Saints eliminated Fulham at Craven Cottage in the fifth round before shocking then-Premier League leaders Arsenal just over three weeks ago in the quarter-finals at St Mary's.
City's rise to the Premier League summit reinforces their status as big favourites for Saturday's contest but it also affords Saints the opportunity to create history. No side has ever knocked out the top-flight leaders (at the start of the day) from the FA Cup twice in the same season.
Did you know?
Southampton are trying to become the first Championship side to reach the final since Cardiff in 2008.
Manchester City have reached their eighth consecutive FA Cup semi-final, a run stretching back to 2018-19. They will attempt to become the first team to win four in a row.
Image source, Getty Images
Suspensions hampering Saints plans
Southampton are missing two key players because of suspension. Midfielder Flynn Downes received a retrospective three-match ban after elbowing Swansea's Liam Cullen last weekend, while left-back and set-piece taker Ryan Manning (six goals and seven assists this season) received his second yellow of this competition against Arsenal.
Centre-back Jack Stephens may miss out on a sixth Wembley outing after withdrawing during the warm-up of the Bristol City game with a calf issue.
'I hope we can relive that' - Reijnders on Wembley returnpublished at 19:06 BST 24 April
19:06 BST 24 April
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Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders says he wants to "relive" the feeling of winning the Carabao Cup at Wembley when returning to the stadium for Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Southampton.
"It was amazing, my first time at Wembley," he told BBC Radio Manchester, reminsicing on the 2-0 win over Arsenal.
"A great stadium and especially when we received the trophy the view was amazing. I hope we can relive that again. It was a great experience and also very nice that my family was there so I could celebrate it with them after the game.
"As a kid I always watched these kind of games so playing here and playing in the FA Cup is amazing. Playing two finals in my first season here at Manchester City would make me very happy."
Fear and faith - rival fans predict Premier League finishpublished at 18:01 BST 24 April
18:01 BST 24 April
A matter of weeks remain to define an entire season of graft.
Supporters have spent all their energy, players are running on empty and the rewards that remain on offer tantalise.
So as Manchester City and Arsenal slug it out, BBC Sport asked two of our fan writers - Emily Brobyn for City and Laura Kirk-Francis for the Gunners - to predict the league games that remain.
Manchester City: Everton (a) - Win; Brentford (h) - Win; Bournemouth (a) - Draw; Crystal Palace (h) - Win; Aston Villa (h) - Win.
I really believed at one point that this was a season too soon for this evolving, young Manchester City squad. Nobody is more surprised that City are still in the title race than me - a period of sloppy draws has been followed by powerhouse performances against Arsenal twice, Liverpool and Chelsea.
But I believe the final games of the title race could still spring surprise results. City have the momentum, but their positive display at the Etihad will give Arsenal belief.
I think there could be a final day shootout - winner takes all. It could be down to whoever scores the most between now and the end - and whoever is brave enough to feel the fear, but embrace that energy and turn it into their driving force.
Man City: Everton (a) - Draw; Brentford (h) - Win; Bournemouth (a) - Draw; Crystal Palace (h) - Win; Aston Villa (h) - Win.
End-of-season total - 81 points
My hope for Arsenal's first league title in 22 rests on David Moyes. I have deluded myself into thinking that the Everton manager, under whom Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta played for six years, will take points off Manchester City as a tribute and a favour to his former captain.
Beyond that, Arsenal should feel galvanised by the performance at Manchester City last weekend, with the error from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma perhaps also providing a glimmer of hope that there are flaws within this Manchester City side. Or maybe just one flaw, but that could be all that's needed.
On paper, Arsenal have a slightly easier run-in, but the momentum is very much with Manchester City. Faith and fear both demand you believe in something you cannot see. Today, I choose faith (for the next few hours at least).
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