Manchester City vs Southampton: Match preview, predicted line-ups, team news and prediction

Manchester City vs Southampton: Match preview, predicted line-ups, team news and prediction Manchester City face Southampton in an intriguing FA Cup semi-final clash at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. The winner of this tie will book a spot in the May 16 final, where they will meet either Chelsea or Leeds United. Match preview Manchester City come into this semi-final in strong form, having secured a narrow 1-0 victory at Burnley on Wednesday to send them to the Premier League summit.

After overcoming Arsenal to lift the EFL Cup and sitting first in the Premier League, the Citizens could complete a domestic treble if they reach the FA Cup final and go on to win it. Pep Guardiola’s side cruised past Liverpool with a 4-0 victory in the FA Cup quarter-finals earlier this month, inspired by a hat-trick from Erling Haaland. The Norwegian will be key once more in this fixture, as he has netted 12 goals in 12 FA Cup appearances for City.

City are featuring in their eighth consecutive FA Cup semi-final, a streak that dates back to the 2018/2019 campaign, and they will be aiming to secure a fourth straight final appearance, a feat no team has ever accomplished in the competition’s history. In their FA Cup history, City have faced Southampton on four occasions, winning three of those encounters, 5-0 in 1909/10, 3-1 in 2006/07 and 4-1 in 2021/22. Southampton can take confidence from Pep Guardiola’s struggles at Wembley Stadium, having lost six of seven FA Cup games there, and will hope to pull off another major upset.

The Saints stunned the then Premier League leaders Arsenal 2-1 in the quarter-finals to reach this stage of the competition. Southampton boosted their promotion ambitions by stretching their league unbeaten streak to 17 games following a spirited 2-2 draw with Bristol City, and they have now gone 20 matches without defeat in all competitions (W16 D4). Tonda Eckert’s side are aiming to become the first non-Premier League team to reach the FA Cup final since Cardiff City in 2007/08, who overcame Barnsley in the semi-finals.