Man City reach fourth-straight FA Cup final, prove again they win when it matters

LONDON — Manchester City finds a way to win again at the end of the season.

Southampton were just 11 minutes away from becoming the first Championship team since Cardiff City in 2008 to reach the FA Cup final. But that was before Pep Guardiola’s side did what they so often do when trophies are on the line: enough to win the game and keep hopes of a domestic treble alive.

Only fair. When Southampton’s Finn Azaz found the net with a superb opening goal in the 79th minute to spark a dull and dreary afternoon, it looked like Guardiola’s selection gamble had backfired. With a Premier League title race to think about, he made eight changes to the XI that narrowly beat Burnley on Wednesday.

In the end, he needed help from regulars Jérémy Doku, Erling Haaland, Nico O’Reilly and Bernardo Silva coming off the bench.

Doku, in particular, was decisive – just as he was with an assist at Turf Moor – although it came via a fortunate deflection from Southampton defender James Bree. He scored the equalizer three minutes after Southampton’s goal and five minutes before Nico González lashed in a fierce 30-yard effort to book a fourth successive FA Cup final appearance.

If this is to be Guardiola’s final season, then his players appear determined to send him on a plan worthy of the incredible consistency of his 10 years at the Etihad Stadium.

The only consolation for the raucous Southampton supporters who packed west Wembley is that their late heartbreak will be greatly eased if they beat Ipswich Town on Tuesday night as they seek a path back to the Premier League.

The only downside for Guardiola was that Newcastle were unable to take points from Arsenal 10 miles away at the Emirates Stadium.

“It’s six games [left] and if we win we will be there and if we lose it’s over,” Guardiola said. “People will say that the number of Champions Leagues defines [the club] or this and that, but it’s when you win five Carabao Cups. Four consecutive FA Cup finals. This defines.

“I’ve said it many times, you can have a bad day or injuries. But we’ve always been there. I said to the players: ‘Imagine saying the team will reach the FA Cup final four times.’ [in a row].’ It’s not easy. We did it. We did it again. Now we rest mentally and physically and let’s go for these last six games.

But even though Guardiola wore a beaming smile at full time, it was not a good day for anyone earning City blue. Phil Foden, one of those brought in from the cold against Southampton, was anonymous. Granted his first City start for almost two months, his most notable contribution was sending a high shot over the crossbar early in the second half.

When it came time for Guardiola to turn things around, it was no surprise that Foden was sacrificed. Mateo Kovacic was substituted first, but that is understandable given the Croatian midfielder was starting a match for his club for the first time since last May due to a troublesome ankle problem.

This should have been a great chance for Foden to impress. A good performance could have led to more playing time in the preparatory phase and, potentially, a seat on the plane to the World Cup. But as in two international matches at the same stadium last month, the 25-year-old was a mere shadow of the player named the Premier League’s best of 2024.

His slow exit from the field in the 56th minute summed up his mood. There was a brief handshake with Guardiola, then he took his place on the bench. It might be a while before he gets over it.

“It was not easy in the first half for him because he was playing in the pockets with marking,” Guardiola said. “It’s not easy to find him. It’s a matter of time and he will come back. Absolutely.”

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Given what City have to play for in the final month of the season, Foden’s resurgence will likely have to wait until at least August. When Guardiola chooses his next team – to face Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium in nine days’ time – his starters will be back.

Guardiola refuses to talk about the possibility of winning the Premier League and the FA Cup to go with the Carabao Cup achieved last month. Speaking at the Wembley Media Theatre, he said only that it was “far, far away”.

Except that’s not the case.

It seemed a long way off when City dropped Premier League points against Nottingham Forest and West Ham in March. But now, with six games remaining – five in the league and the FA Cup final against Chelsea or Leeds United on May 16 – a room full of English football’s greatest trophies is within reach.

City under Guardiola have a remarkable knack for finding a way to win when it matters most. Against Southampton, they did it again.