MY ACCOUNT
Manchester City marched through to their fifth FA Cup semi-final appearance in six years after defeating Southampton 4-1 at St Mary’s.
Raheem Sterling gave Pep Guardiola’s side an early lead, but that was cancelled out before the break by an Aymeric Laporte own goal.
Kevin De Bruyne restored the visitors’ advantage from the penalty spot just after the hour mark, though, and substitutes Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez struck in the final quarter of an hour to complete a commanding victory.
Unbeaten in their last eight FA Cup matches on home soil, Southampton went close to breaking the deadlock in the 10th minute when Adam Armstrong hit the post after latching onto Oriel Romeu’s neat throughball.
City capitalised on their good fortune two minutes later. Jack Stephens failed to clear De Bruyne’s cross and Gabriel Jesus teed up Sterling, who found the net in the competition for an eighth successive season.
The visitors had won all 27 matches when scoring first this term. They almost doubled their lead as Ilkay Gundogan struck the post from Joao Cancelo’s inviting centre, while Rodri drilled marginally wide from distance.
But the hosts levelled with the last kick of the first half. Mohamed Elyounoussi beating the offside trap before his cross deflected in off Laporte.
City restored their advantage in the 62nd minute with De Bruyne tucking away from 12 yards after Mohammed Salisu brought down Gabriel Jesus.
Foden and Mahrez were introduced shortly afterwards and both made their marks to put the tie beyond the Saints with two goals in the space of three minutes.
England international Foden fired home a stunning volley from the edge of the box, before Mahrez swept in the fourth goal – and his 14th in 16 appearances.
