Manchester City 2-1 Southampton Review

FA Cup Semi Final

This was a big week for Guardiola, after the team put all their energy into the game against Arsenal, how was he going to navigate Burnley (A) and then the FA Cup semi-final against Southampton, whilst rotating his players ahead of the final run of six games to win two trophies?

MOTM: NICO GONZALEZ

Nico Gonzalez picks up the MOTM award on the day, scoring the game-winner. Providing the second-most chances and passes into the final third. 2/2 aerial duels won. 6/6 long passes completed.

It did take him, along with Kovacic, some time to grow into the game, but by the second half, you saw his confidence on the ball come through with the long passes in behind and out ot the wingers, shots from the edge of the box, and finding players through the lines. As Guardiola mentioned post-match, Nico is a player who needs to believe more in himself. The quality and skillset are there to play as a holding midfielder in this team, but you need to have confidence in the ball to break lines.

Although Nico, along with Foden, are not regulars in the team for the recent run of games, the title race we’re competing in was built on many excellent performances by those two earlier in the season. Gonzalez shouldn’t be anywhere near discussions for an exit in the summer.

Notable Stats:

• Man City have reached more cup finals than any other side since Pep Guardiola took charge in 2016.

• Manchester City are the first team in the competition’s history to reach the FA Cup final in four consecutive seasons.

• Nico González's strike at Wembley was scored from 30.1 yards out, the longest range goal by a Manchester City player this season.

Game Stats:

Manchester City 2-1 Southampton

• xG: 2.04 - 0.17

• xThreat: 1.84 - 0.34

• Possession: 69.2% - 30.8%

• Field Tilt: 87.1% - 12.9%

• Penalty Box Shots: 18 - 1

• Deep Entries: 30 - 1

• PPDA: 8.4 -12.7

• High Turnovers: 4 - 2

Mateo Kovacic starts his first game for Manchester City since Bournemouth (H) on the 20th of May 2025.

Rayan Cherki (2,582) overtakes Jeremy Doku (2,571) and Ruben Dias (2,556) for minutes played this season.

Rico Lewis is back in the Manchester City squad for the first time since Real Madrid (R16 2nd leg).

If you want to stay up-to-date on individual player minutes, back four combinations, underlying numbers, and more, check out the live Google sheet below. 👇

Lots of changes for the game, which will bring back memories of Leverkusen, but I think the way to look at it is that Guardiola missed an opportunity to rotate a couple more players against Burnley and then keep the team strong across these two games. In the end, it didn’t matter. But for some of the players, it didn’t make it easy to impress.

5-4-1 from Southampton that didn’t let themselves be dropped easily into their box. The full-backs holding width instead of wingers helped. You saw Nico Gonzalez drop between the two central defenders to form a back three when under pressure, Reijnders and Kovacic on either side to receive and drive through the lines. Cherki and Foden are drifting inside. Marmoush is attacking the box.

The trouble City ran into was that Southampton set up to defend the middle of the pitch; they were compact, and unless you moved the ball well, it was going to be a long afternoon.

In the first half, the best couple of chances for City were the Kovacic (19’) miss, dragging his shot wide, whilst Marmoush, there was a tap in if he squared it, and then later, with Marmoush played through by Kovacic, he wasn’t quick with getting a shot off, and it was easily saved (34’).

It wasn’t the best first half from Manchester City, although they saw plenty of the ball (65% possession) and kept Southampton to 0 shots. It took some time for Nico and Kovacic to find their rhythm, and once they did, after twenty minutes, the attacking players hadn’t caught up.

Southampton, to their credit, you can see why they’ve been on a long unbeaten run, compact off the ball, and didn’t drop deep too easily. Making the middle congested, which was easy to defend with the slow tempo of the first half.

Messaged received by the players at half-time, immediately, you saw an increase in tempo that was lacking in the first half. Blocked shot for Marmoush inside the first five minutes and a header missed inside the 6-yard box. Blocked shots from Nunes and Cherki followed. The intent was there.

Doku and Savinho on for Foden and Kovacic (58’) to add to that good start, Southampton allowing space out wide, but the team needed better players 1v1 to exploit that space. It leads to Reijnders’ (59’) shot on the edge of the box that missed the far post. The right idea despite the execution.

Marmoush (60’) shot missed inside the box, from the corner, lovely Doku pass inside to RAN on the overlap, but he’s leaned back. The best chance he had in the game. Not long after that, you saw more changes for City with O’Reilly and Haaland on for Ait-Nouri and Marmoush (71’). Adding two big targets to the box.

Nico, Cherki, and Reijnders all have a shot inside the Southampton box after a fast break (71’). Saved, blocked, and then missed.

F. Azaz (79’) 0-1
Reijnders into Cherki, who is next to the touchline halfway up the pitch, and tries to turn inside, where the Southampton defender was anticipating. Losing the ball. If he turned the other way, or backheeled to Reijnders, continuing his run, the team could transition. Cherki picked the wrong option, and now Southampton could drive toward the City goal.

Nico comes across to pressure the ball carriers, Stones covering the striker running into the box, and Nunes pinned by the left winger. Cherki comes to support against the ball on the flank, instead of coming to the middle. Reijnders as well, not quick enough to get back and cover that space in front of the defense. Where Azaz was waiting for the ball.

Lovely finish from him, to receive the ball behind him, on the back foot, turn and strike into the top corner. Now it looked like a dream come true for Southampton, and a nightmare for Manchester City.

J. Doku (82') 1-1
Southampton had already been driven back into their box by Man City. Nunes crosses to the back post is slightly overhit, but Reijnders can collect it and recycle it back to Doku on the edge of the box.

He takes a touch and draws the Southampton player towards him. Then takes his next touch inside, driving into the open space, second touch as there was another player in the way of the shot, and then he strikes. Taking a slight deflection on the way, which lifts it past Peretz.

This was his second goal from outside the box this season. Doku also scored from outside the box at Wembley against United in the 23/24 FA Cup Final.

Southampton had a good chance inside the box, but Matsuki's shot was tipped over by Trafford right after the goal (82’), and that would be their last shot of the game. Bernardo Silva came on for Reijnders (85’) to see how the final minutes of the team pushed for a winner.

N.González (87') 2-1
The game winner is from Nico González. A shot blocked on the edge of the box is then collected by Bernardo. The Southampton players follow him to the left side, dropping deep into their box, and putting no pressure on the shooters at the edge. Nico has got all the space to take a touch and line up a shot into the top corner.

You can see the distance better from this angle. At 30.1 yards, it's the furthest out a Manchester City player has scored this season.

As we’ve seen in many games since the last international break, it’s the increase in tempo for Manchester City that’s led to the goals. Then Doku and Savinho off the bench only added to the threat of the team, who started the second half well. The possession went up to 76% in the second half, 20 shots compared to 6 in the first half, and 13 of those inside the opposition box. Add to that, controlling transitions better and having more success with beating players 1v1. Ground duels won in the first half by City, 10/29 up to 29/47 in the second half.

Southampton did a great job of covering the middle of the box, as Guardiola described it like having a tree in front of the goal, but that meant there would be space for the wingers, which Jeremy Doku mentioned post-match. Underlapping runs helped to create plenty of chances. Once Southampton were dropped and pinned inside their box, that opened up space on the edge of the box to shoot. Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez took advantage.

The final roll of the dice from Southampton was bringing Edozie and Archer on for Fellows and Bree (89’), but they looked done after Manchester City found the second goal, rather than pushing hard for an equalizer. Harwood-Bellis, Charles, and Edozie were all on the pitch against the club they played for in academy football. Savinho had a couple of chances to score and wrap up the game in injury time (90’+1, 90’+2) saved and missed.

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Moving Forward

In the end, the team is through to a fourth consecutive FA Cup Final, have the chance to win the Premier League title with five games still left to play, and many of whom we expect to start against Everton got a full rest. The significant threat wasn’t there from Southampton in transition to cause enough problems, outside of the mistake by Cherki, leading to their goal, which still required an incredible finish.

Nathan Ake and John Stones gave the team a strong platform to build on, two players coming to the end of their City careers. Mateo Kovacic has a bright first start since returning from his long injury. Nico Gonzalez reminded everyone of the quality he’s shown for most of this season, and that had been forgotten about in the last couple of months.

It was a reminder of how much better Cherki can get, the simple actions lacking in this game to make a difference in the opposition box. For Marmoush, Foden, and Savinho, not the impact they’d hoped to make. I’d struggle to see any of them starting another game this season.

The final action was missing from Reijnders, who had a handful of good opportunities to score, but the all-around play across the final third, in possession, was a step in the right direction that Guardiola acknowledged post-match.

It’s Chelsea for the FA Cup Final. The chance for Guardiola to get one back on Callum McFarlane, as mad as that sounds. They’ve struggled lately, but it is a team filled with talented players, and we know from the 2021 CL Final that, in a one-off game, any team can win.

Jeremy Doku came off the bench with a goal and an assist to change the game within 32 minutes. Creating the most chances (5). Completing 11/14 dribbles and 11 progressive carries, that is more than Ait-Nouri (3), Savinho (3), Marmoush (2), and Cherki (2) combined. He also led the team for box entries (7) despite not starting.

He’s spoken in recent weeks about adding more goals to his game. Now, Jeremy Doku moves up to third for goal involvements this season across all competitions. Six games still left to play, he’s got the opportunity to reach 20 G+A by the end of the season.

Foden is still up there, highlighting how well he performed for the first half of the season. O’Reilly has made big contributions in recent weeks. Semenyo, if he plays a full season, then he’s going to be right up there next to Cherki. Including his time at Bournemouth, Semenyo has 24 goal contributions in 38 starts this season.  

Matheus Nunes wasn’t in the end part of the decisive sequence for the goals, but you saw the right intent from him, to get forward, providing crosses to the back-post, and giving underlapping runs for Savinho in the second half. Created two chances.

The final mention for me is Nathan Ake, whose looked fantastic this season on the Wembley turf, last start was against Arsenal in the League Cup Final. It’s not been the minutes he’d have wanted this season, but after getting up to speed, he’s performed for the team in the Cup Competitions. 6/8 aerial duels won, made the joint most clearances (8), and was there with an important block in the first half.

There haven’t been any strong links for this summer, but I’d expect him to move on, and as we’ve seen with Akanji at Inter Milan, their outfield minutes leader, Ake has plenty more value to give for the right club.

Next up for Manchester City is Everton (A) in the Premier League on Monday, the 4th of May at 20:00 (UK time). They’ll have 8 days’ rest ahead of that fixture, plenty of rest for all you’d expect to start. Everton comes into the game having lost twice in injury time to Liverpool and West Ham. Dropping away from contention to make Europe.

Arsenal have returned to the top of the league, beating Newcastle 1-0, and will have an away fixture against Atletico Madrid midweek. They won’t get the rest Man City have had, and have the opportunity to go 6 points ahead since they play Fulham (H) in the PL on the 2nd of May. Before the Everton fixture.