Manchester City vs Southampton: David Can Outsmart Goliath in this FA Cup Semi-Final Tie
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Are Manchester City Next on the Giant Killers' Hit List?
Manchester City can dream of a treble this season, just when it all seemed impossible to achieve after starting the season on a bad note. Despite their failure to make a deep run in the UEFA Champions League and clinch the prestigious silverware, they have made a remarkable resurgence domestically.
The Citizens have been crowned Carabao Cup champions after defeating Arsenal in the final. In the Premier League, they sit atop the table after their 1-0 away win over Burnley. However, they are level on points with Arsenal (70pts), the bottlers, and cannot afford to slip up in their bid to secure an 11th top-flight title.
Now, the most important thing right now is avoiding complacency, particularly against second-tier side Southampton in the FA Cup semi-finals. For more insights into the game, head over to our Manchester City vs Southampton prediction. This is their eighth consecutive appearance at this stage and their 21st overall.
Pep Guardiola's men won their last three FA Cup semi-final ties to reach the final and are on the verge of progressing to the final for the fourth consecutive season. This is a feat that no other club has ever achieved at this competition.
Manchester City could become the first team to reach the FA Cup finals four times in a row! No other club has been able to achieve this feat.
Can EFL Championship Outfit Spring A Surprise?
Standing in their way is a Southampton side that is fighting for promotion in the EFL Championship. Impressively, they have avoided defeat in their last 20 matches across all competitions (W15, D5).
How can one forget their famous 2-1 home win against Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-final to reach the semi-finals for the first time since the 2020-21 season? The Gunners are not the only Premier League outfit they've taken down in this competition; Fulham is also in the fold.
Southampton have been knocked out of the FA Cup semi-finals in nine of their last 13 games.
The 1976 champions are aiming to reach the finals for the first time since 2003. And to do that, they need to beat Manchester City. They've struggled against this opponent in past meetings, losing 13 of their last 18 matches across all competitions.
The Saints have met Pep Guardiola's men four times in the FA Cup and have one win to their name. Check out Southampton's past meetings against Manchester City in the FA Cup:
- 05 February 1910 (Second Round): Southampton 0-5 Manchester City
- 09 January 1960 (Third Round): Manchester City 1-5 Southampton
- 28 January 2007 (Fourth Round): Manchester City 3-1 Southampton
- 20 March 2022 (Quarter-finals): Southampton 1-4 Manchester City
Success here could see Southampton become the first non-Premier League outfit to reach the finals of this competition. You will have to go back to the 2007-08 season to find the last time a side from outside the top flight made it that far—Cardiff City.
Player Focus: Erling Haaland Searching for Crucial FA Cup Goal
Erling Haaland might not be having the best season in the Premier League compared to the previous one. However, he leads the scoring charts with 24 goals scored and seven assists.
The attention now turns to his influence on Manchester City in the FA Cup. The Norwegian has been turning heads in this competition, given his impressive numbers. He has scored 12 goals in his last 12 appearances.
In his last match against Liverpool in the quarter-finals, he bagged a hat-trick and guided the team to a commanding 4-0 home victory. Now, he has been presented with an opportunity to do the impossible, and that's scoring in the semi-final.
For some reason, he's still searching for his first goal at this stage, having taken part in 14 games. During this stretch, he had 25 shots and 62 touches in the opposition box. Is the moment for him to break that semi-final curse finally?
