Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made a total of eight changes to his starting lineup for this afternoon’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Southampton at Wembley Stadium.
Erling Haaland has scored 12 goals in as many FA Cup appearances for the Citizens, most recently netting a hat-trick in the 4-0 quarter-final victory over Liverpool earlier this month.
However, the prolific Norwegian will begin as a substitute, while Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marc Guehi, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico O’Reilly, Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku have also dropped down to the bench. Antoine Semenyo is left out of the matchday squad, though.
Matheus Nunes and Rayan Ait-Nouri are two of only three survivors from the side that began the 1-0 Premier League win over Burnley on Wednesday, and the full-back pair will be joined in a four-man defence by centre-backs John Stones – wearing the captain’s armband – and Nathan Ake.
In-form playmaker Rayan Cherki also retains his place in the first XI and is set to operate in a three-man frontline alongside Phil Foden and Omar Marmoush.
Mateo Kovacic is handed his first start of the 2025-26 season for Man City after several months sidelined through injury, and he is joined in centre-midfield by Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders.
Stephens ruled out as Eckert makes six changes to Southampton XI
© Imago / Pro Sports Images
As for Southampton, head coach Tonda Eckert has made a total of six changes to the side that began the 2-2 draw with Bristol City in the Championship on Tuesday.
Jack Stephens has failed to recover in time from a calf injury, so ex-Man City player Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Nathan Wood will continue to link arms at the heart of the defence.
James Bree also retains his spot at right-back, but Welington is recalled at left-back to replace the suspended Ryan Manning.
Shea Charles - another player once on the books at Man City who scored an 85th-minute winner in the 2-1 quarter-final victory over Arsenal - and suspended Flynn Downes have both been replaced in midfield by Caspar Jander and Cam Bragg.
Wingers Tom Fellows and Leo Scienza have been recalled at the expense of Kuryu Matsuki and Cameron Archer, and they will link up with Finn Azaz in behind central striker Ross Stewart, who has replaced Cyle Larin.
Manchester City starting lineup: Trafford; Nunes, Stones, Ake, Ait-Nouri; Gonzalez, Kovacic, Reijnders; Cherki, Foden, Marmoush
Subs: Donnarumma, Haaland, Doku, Guéhi, Bernardo, Savinho, O'Reilly, Khusanov, Lewis
Southampton starting lineup: Peretz; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Welington; Jander, Bragg; Fellows, Azaz, Scienza; Stewart
Subs: Long, Quarshie, Jelert, Charles, Matsuki, Robinson, Edozie, Archer, Larin