City see off stubborn Southampton to book FA Cup final spot

City fans unveiled an Oasis-inspired tifo just before kick-off, Liam and Noel Gallagher featuring in all their glory alongside the wording ‘City are Back. City are Back. Hello. Hello’. By the end of the game, the Blues were guaranteeing yet another trip to Wembley – Guardiola’s 24th in 10 years – with Chelsea or Leeds lying in wait next month.

When the game kicked off, City’s first half was one of effort and endeavour but Pep Guardiola’s men couldn’t find the end product.

Tijjani Reijnders had a shot forced against the post by keeper Daniel Peretz in the opening exchanges after a pinpoint cut back from Omar Marmoush while the Egyptian then had his effort blocked by Nathan Wood – both promising moves eventually seeing a assistant referee flag go up for offside.

Then Southampton thought they’d opened the scoring when Leo Scienza calmy slotted past James Trafford.

Saints fans celebrated wildly but then realisation slowly dawned that the goal had been chalked off after another flag raise for offside.

Despite that, City were still the team in the ascendancy with midfielder Mateo Kovacic, making his first start of the season, showing pace and grace to evade a number of Saints players on his march into the box before eventually firing wide of the mark from an acute angle.

Marmoush – in the thick of the action - then forced Peretz into a point-blank save after being played in by a clever Reijnders pass in the left channel.

As the second half started, Nathan Ake showed his undoubted class to get back and tackle an onrushing Tom Fellows with the former West Brom winger looking to trouble Trafford in the City goal.

Despite this foray forward by our opponents, the Blues were bossing the contest and looking far more likely to make the breakthrough. Lots of huffing and puffing as they looked to blow down the Saints door.

Rayan Cherki caressed the ball to Phil Foden but the England midfielder’s shot was too high to trouble Peretz while Reijnders had an effort blocked as he broke clear into the box and another just fly past the Saints No.41’s left-hand post.

Guardiola introduced Savinho and Jeremy Doku just shy of the hour mark and the Belgian was immediately involved playing in Rayan Ait-Nouri who cut back for Marmoush but the Blues No.7 couldn’t keep his effort down.

Fellow sub Savinho then forced a smart save from the busy Peretz with Guardiola rallying his players from the sidelines.

More subs followed as the clock ticked down, Erling Haaland and Nico O’Reilly entering the action in place of Marmoush and Ait-Nouri.

Nico, Cherki and Reijnders were all out of luck in front of goal as a trio of chances in quick succession went begging.

Southampton opened the scoring with a Finn Azaz strike from distance flying past Trafford and giving the Saints an unlikely lead.

But the Blues hit back with a Doku drive that flew in after a deflection from right-back James Bree.

And then Nico won it for City with a brilliant blast from distance with minutes remaining on the clock.

TEAMS

CITY XI: Trafford, Nunes, Stones (C), Ake, Ait-Nouri (O’Reilly 71’), Nico, Kovacic (Doku 58’), Reijnders, Cherki, Foden (Savinho 58’), Marmoush (Haaland 71’)

Subs: Donnarumma, Guéhi, Silva, Khusanov, Lewis

SOUTHAMPTON XI: Peretz, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Welington (Matsuki 76’), Jander, Bragg (Charles 61’), Fellows, Azaz, Scienza, Stewart

Subs: Long, Quarshie, Jelert, Robinson, Edozie, Archer, Larin

MANAGER VERDICT

Tune in here shortly to find out the thoughts of boss Pep Guardiola.

PLAYER REACTION

Check back here later as we hear from a member of the first team squad.

WHAT IT MEANS

City are through to our fourth successive FA Cup final.

We will hope to capture our second piece of silverware of the season as we face either Chelsea or Leeds at Wembley on Saturday 16 May, kick-off 15:00 (UK).

The Carabao Cup is already in the cabinet as Pep Guardiola now eyes yet more silverware with what would be his third FA Cup win and his 20th major trophy with the Blues.

WHAT’S NEXT

It’s back to Premier League action for our next assignment as we travel to Everton in nine days’ time.

The game takes place at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday 4 May, kick-off 20:00 (UK).