🏏 Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:15 BST
Manchester City
vs
Southampton
4-2-3-1 vs 5-4-1
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- An FA Cup semi-final between Premier League leaders Manchester City (70 points) and Championship side Southampton, a two-division gap. A win would take City to an eighth final, their first in two years, while Southampton aim for a first final in 21 years, a historic tie.
- Southampton ride the momentum of beating Liverpool. In the quarter-final they pulled off a famous 1-0 win over fourth-placed Liverpool, and from the third round they have steadily progressed past Cardiff, Plymouth and Celtic. City, meanwhile, won a thrilling 3-2 against Arsenal in the quarter-final and beat Brentford, West Ham and Wolverhampton in turn.
- City rotate, resting key players. With Haaland and Bernardo Silva starting on the bench, new signing Marmoush (Egypt international forward) leads the line. How the creative second line of Foden, Cherki and Reijnders breaks down Southampton's back-five defence is the question.
- Japan international midfielder Kuryu Matsuki (Southampton) is registered as a substitute. Having joined this season from FC Tokyo via Goztepe in Turkey, he is battling in the Championship with his 180cm build, strong physique and accurate left foot. It is a chance to gain valuable international experience against higher-ranked opposition.
- Southampton centre-back Harwood-Bellis faces his old club as a Manchester City academy graduate. Having won the Championship with Burnley, he has grown into a modern centre-back with excellent build-up ability. How the man who knows the tactics of his mentor Pep faces City's attack is one to watch.
- A tactical battle of 5-4-1 against 4-2-3-1. Southampton pack the defence with five at the back and pin hopes on the solo breaks of Ross Stewart on the counter. City aim for dominance with a midfield three of Ait-Nouri on the left and Kovacic and Gonzalez through the middle.
- The goalkeeper matchup to watch has City's Trafford against Southampton's Israel international Peretz. Both teams placed their veteran keepers (Donnarumma and McCarthy) on the bench and gave the youngsters a chance. The gap in big-stage experience holds the key.
- City have explosive options on the bench in Haaland, Bernardo Silva, Jeremy Doku and Savio, a rich set of attacking substitutes. Southampton, too, have ready trump cards to introduce at decisive moments in Kuryu Matsuki, Archer and Larin.