Southampton gave Manchester City an almighty scare in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley but it was Pep Guardiola's side who managed to get over the line
19:34, 25 Apr 2026Updated 19:41, 25 Apr 2026
Nico Gonzalez of Manchester City celebrates
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Nico Gonzalez smashed in the winner for Man City(Image: Alex Pantling/The FA via Getty Images)
Manchester City avoided a colossal FA Cup upset as they secured their place in the final for a fourth consecutive year following a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Southampton.
Finn Azaz put the Saints ahead with a stunning curling shot in the 79th minute, to make the Championship side's fans dream of a momentous win at Wembley Stadium, against a heavily rotated City side. Pep Guardiola was a relieved man when City's Belgian winger Jeremy Doku levelled the score shortly afterwards in the 82nd minute, with a fortunate deflected strike.
As the clock ticked down, Nico Gonzalez clinched the victory with a spectacular goal of his own, as he blasted an unstoppable rocket from distance into the net in the 87th minute. The triumph means City will go head-to-head with either Chelsea or Leeds United in next month's final. Here are the Manchester City player ratings from the Manchester Evening News.
Finn Azaz of Southampton celebrates
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Finn Azaz curled Southampton in front(Image: Cameron Smith/The FA via Getty Images)
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First XI
James Trafford: Not much to do. Had to think on his feet to play the role of sweeper. 6
Matheus Nunes: Reliable at full-back but had a scare with an injury towards the end of the first half. Was fit enough to carry on and performed well after the interval. 6
John Stones: Confident on his return. Aptly wore the captain's armband at Wembley. 6
Nathan Ake: Made a crucial interception in an otherwise uneventful first half. He did brilliantly to prevent a scoring opportunity shortly after the restart. 7
Manchester City's Algerian defender #21 Rayan Ait-Nouri (R) runs
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Saints defended resolutely(Image: Adrian Dennis / AFP via Getty Images)
Rayan Ait-Nouri: Similar to Nunes in the first 45 minutes. Posed a greater attacking threat in the second half before being substituted. 6
Nico Gonzalez: A sturdy performance anchoring midfield. Looked at ease alongside Kovacic and then unleashed a stunner to secure the win. 7
Mateo Kovacic: Located the gaps nicely to connect play. His run nearly resulted in a goal and he was substituted merely to manage his game time. 7
Rayan Cherki: Subdued opening 45 minutes but came alive after the interval. Far from his finest display. 6
Tonda Eckert manager / head coach of Southampton interacts with Pep Guardiola Manager / Head Coach of Manchester City
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Southampton manager Tonda Eckert's star has risen this season (Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Tijjani Reijnders: Rattled the woodwork early on, though the offside flag was raised. Ought to have found the net with 20 minutes remaining. 6
Phil Foden: Appeared sluggish throughout. Bullied off the ball by Caspar Jander in a moment that epitomised his afternoon. 4
Omar Marmoush: Far too indecisive when presented with scoring opportunities. He enjoyed numerous chances but couldn't take any of them. Withdrawn for Haaland. 4
Phil Foden of Manchester City
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Phil Foden was subbed off having not made an impact(Image: Cameron Smith/The FA via Getty Images)
Substitutes
Jeremy Doku: Ignited City's revival and tormented the Saints backline. Might have wrapped up victory in the dying moments. 8
Savinho: Drew an excellent stop from the keeper. 6
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Erling Haaland: Understated cameo appearance. 6
Nico O'Reilly: Dependable showing at full-back. 6
Bernardo Silva: Assisted in steadying the side. 6