Man City vs. Southampton—FA Cup Semifinal: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Man City are one step away from a fourth straight FA Cup final.

Manchester City are suddenly in contention to win a domestic treble. | Visionhaus/IMAGO/Getty Images

Manchester City can punch their ticket to yet another FA Cup final on Saturday by conquering Championship outfit Southampton in their semifinal at Wembley Stadium.

The Citizens have appeared in the previous three FA Cup finals, their Manchester derby victory in 2022–23 followed by back-to-back disappointments. Manchester United earned revenge two seasons ago and Crystal Palace were surprise victors last term.

City are strong favorites to reach the final and lift the trophy this time around, especially considering their recent purple patch of form. Victory over Arsenal last weekend saw them steal pole position in the Premier League title race, with the subsequent midweek win over Burnley moving them to the summit.

Confidence is flowing within Pep Guardiola’s squad, but complacency cannot be afforded at Wembley. Southampton are unbeaten in their last 20 games across all competitions and knocked Arsenal out in the quarterfinals. They could well be Premier League opponents for City next season as they push for promotion from the Championship, 33-year-old manager Tonda Eckert having proven a transformative figure in their ascent.

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Man City vs. Southampton Score Prediction

Man City Book Return Wembley Trip

Man City are massive favorites—and for good reason. | Mark Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto/Getty Images

For the first time since Jan. 17, Southampton could taste defeat. The Saints have been in imperious form within the second tier and during an excellent FA Cup run, but the challenge of facing City at Wembley could prove too great for the south coast side.

City have found their feet at the perfect moment and while they still lack a hint of the swagger possessed by previous Guardiola units, they have the quality and depth to brush Southampton aside. They are favorites for a reason and are expected to match expectations in the capital.

• City’s stellar form: Guardiola teams always thrive in April and this season has proven no different. They have won all four of their games this month, edging past Arsenal and Burnley alongside thrashings of Liverpool and Chelsea, and have rediscovered their attacking mojo at a critical juncture.
• Experience prevails: City’s knowhow gives them an added edge. Having made Wembley their second home during Guardiola’s tenure, they have already triumphed at the venue this season by beating Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, and their extensive experience deep in knockout tournaments only boosts their chances of success this weekend.
• Southampton firepower: While City are expected to progress relatively comfortably, Southampton will fancy their chances of getting on the scoresheet at Wembley. The Saints haven’t blanked since their 4–0 defeat to Middlesbrough at the start of January, scoring twice or more in each of their last seven games—including against Arsenal in the last round of the cup.

Prediction: Man City 3–1 Southampton

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Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Southampton

City could make two changes from midweek. | FotMob

City’s injury list is reassuringly short, but there are some big names on it. Center back duo Joško Gvardiol and Rúben Dias are currently residing in the treatment room, while Rodri missed the Burnley victory and is a doubt for the semifinal.

Guardiola appears unlikely to alter a winning formula too much, especially given City don’t play again until May 4. However, one guaranteed change is James Trafford replacing Gianluigi Donnarumma in between the posts.

Nico González could come into the team in defensive midfield, but otherwise Guardiola will be reluctant to make too many changes.

Man City predicted lineup vs. Southampton (4-2-3-1): Trafford; Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, O’Reilly; González, Silva; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland.

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Southampton Predicted Lineup vs. Man City

Southampton are forced into some changes. | FotMob

Southampton will be without Flynn Downes in midfield after he was charged for violent conduct in the midweek draw against Bristol City, while Ryan Manning is also banned for the semifinal after accumulating too many yellow cards in the FA Cup.

Mads Roerslev and Alex McCarthy are long-term absentees, while a late assessment must be made on center back Jack Stephens, who picked up an injury in the warm-up ahead of the Bristol City game.

Southampton have done plenty of business with Man City in recent years, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Shea Charles and Samuel Edozie all facing their former club.

Southampton predicted lineup vs. Man City (4-2-3-1): Peretz; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Welington; Charles, Jander; Matsuki, Azaz, Scienza; Larin.

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What Time Does Man City vs. Southampton Kick Off?

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Wembley Stadium
• Date: Saturday, April 25
• Kick-off Time: 5:15 p.m. BST / 12:15 p.m. ET / 9:15 a.m. PT
• Referee: Craig Pawson
• VAR: Tony Harrington

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How to Watch Man City vs. Southampton on TV, Live Stream

Country	TV Channel/Live Stream
United States	fuboTV, ESPN Select, ESPN App
United Kingdom	BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Website, TNT Sports 1, HBO Max
Canada	Sportsnet World, Sportsnet Plus
Mexico	FOX One

• MORE: Full list of FA Cup broadcasters around the world

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