Pep Guardiola has made eight changes for this evening’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Southampton.
Only Rayan Cherki, Matheus Nunes and Rayan Ait-Nouri keep their places from the last game at Burnley as we prepare to face the Saints in the 17:15 (UK) kick-off at Wembley Stadium.
John Stones comes in as captain while there’s a welcome return to the XI for Mateo Kovacic who makes his first start of the season.
City have made this stage by beating Exeter City, Salford City, Newcastle United and Liverpool while Southampton have seen off Doncaster Rovers, Leicester City, Fulham and Arsenal.
The Blues are looking to reach a fourth successive FA Cup final - which would be a record!
The winner of tonight’s encounter will face either Chelsea or Leeds, who play tomorrow, in the showpiece next month.
CITY XI: Trafford, Nunes, Stones (C), Ake, Ait-Nouri, Nico, Kovacic, Reijnders, Cherki, Foden, Marmoush
Subs: Donnarumma, Haaland, Doku, Guéhi, Silva, Savio, O’Reilly, Khusanov, Lewis
James Trafford is between the sticks and protected by a back four of Matheus Nunes, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Nico will take on the anchoring role in the absence of the injured Rodri and supported in the central ground by Mateo Kovacic and Tijjani Reijnders.
Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden will interchange in the spaces behind talisman Omar Marmoush.
Pep Guardiola returns to a familiar venue this evening hoping to progress to a second cup final this season and in the process break even more records.
Tonight’s clash represents Guardiola’s eighth consecutive FA Cup semi-final with City - a run stretching back to 2018/19 – and a record in the competition!
Guardiola has led City to victory in the last three to reach the final – beating Sheffield United, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest en route.
No side has ever reached the FA Cup final four seasons in a row as we look to see off Southampton this time around and do just that.
This evening’s game also represents Guardiola’s 23rd appearance at Wembley with City – another record eclipsing former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp by 17 matches!
If all that’s impressive, since Guardiola took over, City have also won the most matches (44), scored the most goals (157) and kept the most clean sheets (28) of any side in the FA Cup.
Here’s to increasing those stats this evening, please, and booking a place in another Wembley showpiece.
-City have faced Southampton in four previous FA Cup ties, winning 5-0 in 1909/10, 3-1 in 2006/07 and 4-1 in 2021/22. We lost 5-1 in the other in the third round in 1959/60
-Southampton have lost 13 of their last 18 matches against City in all competitions (W2 D3). Their most recent meeting was a goalless draw in May 2025 in the Premier League.