LONDON — Manchester City is rediscovering their winning form as the season reaches its crucial stage.
Southampton came perilously close to becoming the first team from the Championship to reach the FA Cup final since Cardiff City in 2008, leading by one goal with just 11 minutes left. However, Pep Guardiola’s side demonstrated their trademark resilience, ultimately securing the victory and keeping their hopes of a domestic treble alive.
It was a narrow escape. When Southampton’s Finn Azaz scored a stunning goal in the 79th minute, it seemed Guardiola’s decision to heavily rotate his squad, making eight changes from the team that edged past Burnley just days earlier, had backfired. With the Premier League title race heating up, the pressure was high.
Fortunately, key players Jérémy Doku, Erling Haaland, Nico O’Reilly, and Bernardo Silva came off the bench to turn the tide.
Doku was particularly influential, assisting the equalizer with a shot that deflected off Southampton defender James Bree. He scored just three minutes after Southampton’s goal, leading to Nico González unleashing a powerful strike from 30 yards that secured City’s place in a fourth consecutive FA Cup final.
If this turns out to be Guardiola’s final season, his players seem intent on giving him a fitting send-off, reflective of his remarkable decade at the Etihad Stadium.
For the passionate Southampton supporters who filled the west end of Wembley, the sting of defeat might lessen significantly if their team can overcome Ipswich Town on Tuesday, as they strive for a return to the Premier League.
Guardiola’s only disappointment was that Newcastle fell short against Arsenal in a match taking place just 10 miles away at the Emirates Stadium.
“There are six games left, and if we win we will be there; if we lose, it’s over,” Guardiola remarked. “Some say that the number of Champions Leagues defines a club, but it’s about winning five Carabao Cups and reaching four consecutive FA Cup finals. That truly defines us.
“We’ve had our fair share of bad days or injuries, but we’ve consistently been contenders. I told the players to imagine claiming four consecutive FA Cup final appearances. It’s a remarkable achievement. Now, we need to recharge mentally and physically for these last six games.”
Despite Guardiola’s post-match smile, it was not a great day for every City player. Phil Foden, who returned to the lineup after a long absence, failed to make an impact. His most notable moment was sending a shot soaring over the crossbar early in the second half.
When it was time for substitutions, Foden was not surprisingly the first to be replaced. Given that Mateo Kovacic had not started a match since last May due to injury, his early substitution was understandable.
This match presented a golden opportunity for Foden to showcase his skills. A strong performance could have boosted his chances for more playing time and potentially secured him a spot on the World Cup squad. However, much like during two recent international matches at the same venue, the 25-year-old seemed far from the dynamic player who earned the title of Premier League’s best in 2024.
His slow exit from the pitch in the 56th minute encapsulated his disappointment, marked by a brief handshake with Guardiola before he took a seat on the bench. It could be a while before he gets another chance.
“The first half was challenging for him due to tight marking,” Guardiola explained. “Finding space was difficult. It’s a matter of time, and he will be back. Absolutely.”
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With so much at stake for City in the final month of the season, Foden’s comeback will likely have to wait until at least August. When Guardiola next selects a squad for the match against Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium in nine days, expect to see the regular starters return.
Guardiola has declined to discuss the possibility of winning the Premier League and the FA Cup alongside the Carabao Cup, which they secured last month, only stating that it is “far, far away.”
Yet, it’s not as distant as it may seem.
Just a short while ago, City dropped crucial points against Nottingham Forest and West Ham in March, but with only six games remaining—five in the league and the FA Cup final against either Chelsea or Leeds United scheduled for May 16—they are now tantalizingly close to sweeping English football’s prestigious titles.
Under Guardiola, City has consistently shown the ability to clinch victories when it counts the most. Against Southampton, they did it once again.