Manchester City vs Southampton – Match preview and team news

Manchester City and Southampton clash at Wembley on Saturday with a spot in the FA Cup final at stake.

The Sky Blues sit top of the Premier League after a hard-fought midweek victory at Burnley. They aim to become the first team to reach four consecutive FA Cup finals. Pep Guardiola’s side arrive in London on a five-game winning streak. However, they face a resilient Southampton side currently enjoying a twenty-match unbeaten run.

The Saints enter the national stadium after stunning Arsenal in the quarter-finals. Tonda Eckert has transformed the Championship club into a genuine force this season. They are chasing promotion and an FA Cup final appearance simultaneously. Southampton have lost eight of their last eleven matches at Wembley. That said, they won their last visit during the 2024 play-off final.

Rodri is the primary injury concern following a groin problem sustained against Arsenal. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol remain sidelined and will miss this trip to Wembley. James Trafford is expected to start in goal for the seven-time winners. Erling Haaland might be rested as Guardiola manages heavy squad fatigue.

Flynn Downes and Ryan Manning are both unavailable today through suspension. Captain Jack Stephens faces a late assessment after pulling out against Bristol City. Alex McCarthy and Mads Roerslev remain out with wrist and knee injuries, respectively. Daniel Peretz is set to start between the posts for the Saints.

City have won each of their last three FA Cup semi-finals. They have scored 157 goals in this competition since 2016. Despite this dominance, they have lost six of seven cup ties under Guardiola at Wembley. They thrashed Liverpool 4–0 to reach this stage of the competition.

The Saints have not lost a match in any competition since January. They reached the last four by winning every previous round by a one-goal margin. However, they have been knocked out in nine of their thirteen semi-final appearances. They aim to become the first non-Premier League finalist since 2008.

Manchester City Predicted XI: Trafford, Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, O’Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Cherki, Semenyo, Doku, Haaland

Southampton Predicted XI: Peretz, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Manning, Jander, Charles, Fellows, Azaz, Scienza, Stewart

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BBC One and TNT Sports 1. The fixture is also available for streaming via BBC iPlayer, Now TV, and Prime Video UK.

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