Match Pack: Man City vs Saints
Southampton are heading back to Wembley as the spirit of ’76 lives on. Get set for Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup semi-final against Premier League leaders Manchester City with our in-depth preview…
THE MATCH
Manchester City vs Southampton
Emirates FA Cup semi-final
Wembley Stadium
Saturday 25th April, 5.15pm BST
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistant Referees: Lee Betts and Matthew Wilkes
Fourth Official: Farai Hallam
Reserve Assistant Referee: Blake Antrobus
Video Assistant Referee: Tony Harrington
Assistant VAR: Edward Smart
THE KITS
Saints will continue to wear the commemorative 1976-inspired kit that has been a fixture of this season’s FA Cup run, paying tribute to our cup-winning heroes from 50 years ago with yellow shirts, blue shorts and yellow socks. City will be in their traditional colours of sky blue shirts, white shorts and sky blue socks.
TICKETS
Around 36,000 Saints fans will be making the journey to Wembley, with tickets now off sale. After our initial allocation sold out, 2,400 extra tickets were made available to Saints fans, such was the demand.
LIVE COVERAGE
The game will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max, while Saints Play audio passes are also available.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Saints are seeking to reach the club’s first FA Cup final since 2003, and set up a chance to win the trophy for the first time since 1976 in the season of its 50th anniversary.
Saints have already toppled two Premier League teams to reach the last four, following up victories over Doncaster and Leicester with notable triumphs over Fulham at Craven Cottage and Arsenal at a raucous St Mary’s.
This is Saints’ third FA Cup semi-final in nine seasons, an impressive feat, but for City this is an eighth in succession – a new competition record.
Pep Guardiola’s side hit the Premier League summit for the first time since August with a 1-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday night, their fifth straight victory in all competitions, including a Wembley win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final last month.
Saints are 20 matches unbeaten, a run stretching back to January, but did see their eight-match winning streak come to an end with a 2-2 draw against Bristol City in midweek that leaves the play-offs as the club’s most realistic route to promotion.
TEAM NEWS
Man City: City are without defenders Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol, while Rodri will not be risked after coming off injured in the crucial win over Arsenal last weekend.
Saints: Captain Jack Stephens will be assessed after pulling out of the Bristol City game in the warm-up on Tuesday night, but suspended duo Flynn Downes and Ryan Manning are definitely out.
THE MANAGERS
Pep Guardiola: “To knock out Fulham and Arsenal speaks for itself. They (Saints) have a good rhythm. It’s a great opportunity to get to the final.
“We are just focusing on the game tomorrow; what we have to do for the selection, for the spirit, how we recover the players after two incredibly demanding games. A semi-final is always tough.”
Tonda Eckert: “You will have some periods where you need to suffer and accept that you may not touch the ball for a minute, and just stay calm in those moments. There might be some moments where you just need to defend inside your box and be very clear on how to do that.
“On the other hand I think there are more than enough chances – we’re definitely going to have a couple of transition moments and we need to be crucial on the ones that they give to us, because it’s not going to be too many. You can’t rely only on defending in these games, so we need to be brave enough and find another gear.”
ONES TO WATCH
Rayan Cherki: Cherki has really come to the fore in recent weeks, chipping in with three assists in his last four games, as well as the opening goal against Arsenal last weekend.
Erling Haaland’s numbers in front of goal speak for themselves, but French international Cherki is key to ensuring the Norwegian gets the sort of supply he craves.
Tom Fellows: Fellows was a major contributor in Saints’ quarter-final victory over Arsenal, and may benefit from the space in behind City’s high line if Saints can exploit their opportunities on the counter-attack.
The winger has nine assists in all competitions this season, including one for Shea Charles’ late winner against the Gunners, and could ask for no bigger stage to open his account in front of goal.
TOP SCORERS
Man City
Goals:
Haaland 35
Semenyo 18
Foden, Cherki 10
Assists:
Cherki 14
Doku 10
Haaland, Nunes 7
Saints
Goals:
Azaz 11
Stewart 9
Manning, Scienza, Larin 7
Assists:
Scienza 10
Azaz, Fellows 8
Manning 6
FORM GUIDE
Man City
Burnley (a) PL: W 1-0 (Haaland)
Arsenal (h) PL: W 2-1 (Cherki, Haaland)
Chelsea (a) PL: W 3-0 (O’Reilly, Guehi, Doku)
Liverpool (h) FAC: W 4-0 (Haaland 3, Semenyo)
Arsenal (n) CC: W 2-0 (O’Reilly 2)
Saints
Bristol City (h) SBC: D 2-2 (Larin, Stewart)
Swansea (a) SBC: W 2-1 (Charles, Archer)
Blackburn (h) SBC: W 3-0 (Larin, Manning, Archer)
Derby (h) SBC: W 2-1 (Scienza, Harwood-Bellis)
Wrexham (a) SBC: W 5-1 (Matsuki, Downes, Larin, Stewart, Azaz)
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 103
Man City wins: 42
Draws: 28
Saints wins: 33
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
May 2025: Saints 0-0 Man City Premier League
Oct 2024: Man City 1-0 Saints Premier League
Apr 2023: Saints 1-4 Man City Premier League (Mara)
Jan 2023: Saints 2-0 Man City Carabao Cup quarter-finals (Mara, Djenepo)
Oct 2022: Man City 4-0 Saints Premier League
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