Key Takeaways
- Manchester City came from behind to beat Southampton 2-1 and reach a record fourth straight FA Cup final.
- The win keeps Pep Guardiola’s side on course for a second domestic treble, having already lifted the Carabao Cup this season.
- City face a tight Premier League run-in, sitting second behind Arsenal with five league games left.
Manchester City are one victory away from repeating their 2019 domestic treble after staging a late comeback to defeat Championship side Southampton in a thrilling FA Cup semi-final.
Goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez in the closing minutes turned the tie on its head and sent the Citizens to a historic fourth consecutive final at Wembley.
Only 12 months ago Guardiola’s men ended a campaign without a major trophy for the first time since 2017. A summer clear-out saw experienced names like Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan leave, raising doubts about a squad packed with younger signings. An uneven start – two defeats in the opening three league matches – added to the concern.
Yet the new-look side have timed their surge perfectly. February’s Carabao Cup triumph gave the squad a taste of silverware, and they now stand on the brink of adding both the FA Cup and the Premier League title.
Guardiola played down talk of another clean sweep. “It is still far, far away,” he said. “We have five league games and a final. First we must chase Arsenal, then we can speak about trebles.”
City’s schedule is brutal: six matches in 21 days starting with Everton on Monday. How they handle the sprint will decide whether this season is remembered as a rebuild or a re-coronation.
