Man City 2-1 Southampton Highlights, FA Cup: Nico Gonzalez Stunner Sends Guardiola's Men Into Final

Good evening, football fans! This is the start of our live blog covering Man City’s FA Cup semi-final against Southampton at Wembley. Stay tuned for pre-match updates and line-ups as they are released.

• Fixture: Manchester City vs Southampton

• Series: FA Cup 2025-26

• Venue: Wembley Stadium

• Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026

• Time: 9:45 PM IST

• Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool

• Southampton 2-1 Arsenal

Starting XI: James Trafford; Matheus Nunes, John Stones (c), Nathan Ake, Rayan Ait-Nouri; Nico Gonzalez, Mateo Kovacic; Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden; Omar Marmoush.

Bench: Gianluigi Donnarumma (gk), Abdukodir Khusanov, Marc Guehi, Nico O'Reilly, Rico Lewis, Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Savinho.

Starting XI: Daniel Peretz; James Bree, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Nathan Wood, Welington; Cameron Bragg, Caspar Jander; Tom Fellows, Finn Azaz, Leo Scienza; Ross Stewart.

Bench: George Long (gk), Joshua Quarshie, Elias Jelert, Shea Charles, Kuryu Matsuki, Samuel Edozie, Cameron Archer, Cyle Larin, Jay Robinson.

Since 2012, Manchester City and Southampton have faced each other 27 times. Man City have won 18 times, compared to four victories for Southampton. Five games have ended in a draw.

Last five matches:

• Southampton 0-0 Man City (2025)

• Man City 1-0 Southampton (2024)

• Southampton 1-4 Man City (2023)

• Southampton 2-0 Man City (2023)

• Man City 4-0 Southampton (2022)

The players are out on the pitch at the iconic Wembley Stadium. It's the semi-final of the world's oldest national football tournament, folks! Referee Craig Pawson blows his whistle, and Man City take the kick-off to get tonight's match underway!

As expected, City have dominated the ball in the opening 10 minutes. There was an early scare for Peretz, too, with Marmoush clipping the outside of the post with a powerful effort, although the Egyptian was offside. Southampton are finding it hard to get hold of the ball.

Scienza finds the back of the net, but his celebrations are cut short by the offside flag. It was a brilliant move by the Saints, with Peretz's long pass being headed down to Azaz, who tees up Scienza. He almost passes it past Trafford into the back of the net, but he is flagged offside.

What a run from Kovacic!! The Croatian midfielder dances past a host of Southampton defenders and makes his way into the box. However, instead of cutting it back for Marmoush, he drives it towards the far corner, and it goes just wide.

We are at the half-hour mark, and Southampton are growing in confidence and slowly finding their footing the game. Bree, on the right wing, has been a star for the Championship side, and he is giving Ait-Nouri some headaches. Trafford is yet to be troubled, though, but Guardiola looks frustrated on the touchlines.

A good through pass by Kovacic is received beautifully by Marmous. The Egyptian sorts his feet before trying his luck at the near post. Peretz does well to put the ball behind with his foot. The resulting corner finds Reijnders, but he can't pull off a bicycle kick.

Southampton have done brilliantly to keep it goalless as the regulation 45 minutes are up. The fourth official holds up his board to indicate a minimum of two minutes to be added. Can the Saints hold on to this score until the half-time whistle?

The two minutes of stoppage time flies by, and the first half comes to an end. Man City, for all their domination of the ball, have failed to break the deadlock, much to the credit of Southampton. All to play for in the second half.

The players are back on the Wembley pitch for the second half, and Southampton get the ball rolling. Surprisingly, Guardiola has made no chances to his starting XI at the break. No changes for the Saints either.

A brilliant ball by unbalanced Azaz finds the run of Stewart. The forward makes a dashing run into the box, but just as he pulls the trigger, Ake makes a terrific challenge to get the ball away from his opponent's feet.

City are upping the ante in the second half. After a shot by Marmoush is blocked by Jander, Guardiola's men come forward again. Cherki plays a stinging cross across the face of goal, and Ait-Nouri' header is not on target.

Foden's night comes to an end as he is brought off for Savinho, who is a regular off the bench for City. Kovacic is also taken off, and on comes Doku. A very attacking change by Guardiola, this.

After Reinjder's long-range effort fizzes inches wide of Peretz's goal, Southampton make a double change. Ross Stewart replaces Larin up top, and Shea Charles comes on in place of Bragg.

City are really knocking on the door now. Savinho has been lively since coming on, and the Brazilian takes a left-footed effort from inside the box that is saved well by Peretz. Savinho has another go a minute later, but Jander makes a good block.

More changes for Man City, as Ait-Nouri and Marmoush comes off. Haaland comes on in place of the Egyptian, and Nico O'Reilly comes on at left-back.

Meanwhile, Peretz makes a brilliant save to keep out a City effort, and Reinjeders pulls the rebound wide. There's calls for a handball, but the referee says play on.

Azaz finds the back of the net with a stunner!! Jander wins the ball off Cherki and drives up down the right flank. The ball is played to Matsuki, who cuts it back for Azaz. The Irish international turns and then hits a stunning shot that beats Trafford and nestles into the top corner.

Doku draws Man City level!! Nunes's cross is not cleared properly by Southampton, and Reijnders plays it to Doku. The Belgian cuts inside and pulls the trigger, and it takes a wicked deflection off Jander's feet to go past Peretz into the back of the net.

Nico Gonzalez, take a bow!! The Spaniard's initial shot is blocked, but City recycle posession. It's played back to Nico, and the former Barcelona midfielder takes a shot from 30 yards out that flies past everyone and past Peretz's reach and into the top corner.

How did City not score that?! A long ball into the Southampton half sees Peretz rushing out towards the half-way line, but the on-loan Bayern goalkeeper slips. Doku rushes ahead with the ball before playing it to Savinho, but his shot is incredibly blocked on the line by a defender.

What a semi-final we just witnessed!! Three goals, three stunners, but Nico's 30-yard strike means it's Manchester City who go through to the FA Cup finals for the third straight year. Brilliant effort by Southampton, for sure, but City was simply too powerful.