David Hytner’s match report has landed, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company and emails, ta-ra.
Pep’s verdict
“It’s so difficult: Southampton are one of the most well-organised teams we have played this season. They play with incredible intensity and the goal was a consequence of that. We forgot to play in the last 20 minutes of the first half. The second half was much better – more personality.”
Three quarter-finals down, one to go
Kevin De Bruyne’s post-match thoughts
“In the first 20 minutes and the last half hour we did well. In between we made too many stupid mistakes. They played well, but we got much better in the second half. The third and fourth were beautiful goals. We want to win every competition we enter; we’re very happy to be in another semi-final and hopefully we’ll win this one.”
More FA Cup news
I say!
Full time: Southampton 1-4 Manchester City
Peep peep! The Treble is still on for Manchester City, who move into the semi-finals after a deceptively uncomfortable win at St Mary’s. The scoreline doesn’t tell the story of an excellent game in which Southampton gave as good as they got for 70 minutes. Ultimately - who knew - City’s superior class and depth were decisive.
Updated
90 min Two minutes of added time.
89 min Gunodgan’s superb cross somehow evades the diving Sterling, three yards from goal. I can’t decide if that was a bad miss or whether it just dipped under him.
88 min Two more changes for Southampton: Will Smallbone and Ibrahima Diallo replace Oriol Romeu and Mohamed Elyounoussi.
87 min Mahrez could have had a hat-trick since coming on. He runs at the last man Salisu, beats him with a stepover and shoots just wide of the far post.
87 min “Hasenhuttl has brought back his waistcoat,” says Thomas Stratford, “while in France it seems Poch has gone full Wenger with the touchline outfits?”
That’s not an outfit, it’s a sleeping bag for two.
86 min “Ugh,” says Rachel Clifton. “Maybe if we had had the players who can actually score on from the beginning, it might have been different?!”
Hmm, I don’t know – Adams missed possibly the best chance of the lot when he came on. Southampton have played really well; City have just been more clinical.
Updated
84 min Mahrez twists a defender inside out and rattles a shot that is beaten awya by Forster. Mercy.
Updated
83 min Moussa Djenepo comes on for Southampton in place of the superb Stuart Armstrong.
83 min Three more changes for City: Nathan Ake, Fernandinho and Oleksandra Zinchenko replace Joao Cancelo, Rodri and Aymeric Laporte.
80 min “I bet Hasenhuttl got all excited when he heard United were after a German bloke called Ralf,” says Rick Harris. “Course, Ed Woodward couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo so they ended up with Rangnick.”
Well, his name is Ralph. And he’s Austrian!
Updated
Cancelo waves a majestic pass into Gundogan with the outside of the right foot. He chests it down and slides the ball to Mahrez on the far side of the area. Mahrez shapes to shoot back across goal and then cracks it past Forster at the near post.
Updated
GOAL! Southampton 1-4 Man City (Mahrez 78)
This is so harsh on Southampton.
Updated
It’s harsh on Southampton, who have played superbly, but what an emphatic finish. Salisu’s defensive header rebounded off Foden, standing nearby, and dropped into the D. Foden ran after the ball, waited for it to bounce, and thrashed a sizzling shot into the far corner.
Updated
GOAL! Southampton 1-3 Manchester City (Foden 75)
Phil Foden settles matters with a belter!
Updated
73 min: Great chance for Adams! Elyounoussi kills a crossfield pass beautifully and squares the ball to Adams, who shoots straight at Steffen on the run. Walker-Peters picks up the rebound and wobbles a shot just wide from 20 yards.
Southampton have some really good chances today, arguably more than City.
72 min: Chance for Mahrez! Cancelo forces a good pass down the left to Sterling. He cuts inside and curls a cross towards De Bruyne at the far post. Walker-Peters does well to intercept but can only head the ball straight up in the air. It drops onto the right foot of Mahrez, eight yards out, and he screws a volley well wide.
72 min “If my hunch is correct,” says Peter Oh, “the introduction of Adams and Broja is about to make Pep throw some extremely contortionistic pretzel shapes.”
Is contortionistic a word? It is now!
71 min The City keeper Zack Steffen is booked for timewasting.
70 min A superb corner routine from Southampton. Ward-Prowse, on the right, arrows it to the edge of the area, where Stuart Armstrong hits a sweet strike that is blocked by Rodri. Stuart Armstrong has had an outstanding game.
69 min A quiet spell in the game, with City passing the clock down.
66 min “Hands off,” says Ben Tuff of my Hasenhuttl comment in the 58th minute.
On that note, Southampton supporters, did you feel pride, frustration or both when you watched Pochettino’s Spurs? And what about when you see ex-players like Mane do so well? Does it depend how long they were at the club?
Updated
64 min Foden, just on, has a close-range shot smothered by Stephens (I think).
64 min City see Southampton’s double change and raise it: Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden come on for Gabriel Jesus and the subdued Jack Grealish.
63 min Southampton make a double change: Che Adams and Armando Broja replace Adam Armstrong and Shane Long.
GOAL! Southampton 1-2 Man City (De Bruyne 62 pen)
City are back in front. Forster went the right way, to his right, but De Bruyne’s penalty sneaked under him. I think he got a touch on it but it was low and close enough to the corner.
Updated
61 min: Penalty to City! Salisu has been penalised for tripping Jesus just inside the area on the right. It’s a soft penalty but a penalty nonetheless, and such a needless challenge.
Updated
60 min Salisu’s speculative long pass so nearly puts Long through on goal. Laporte clears but Southampton regain possession and Ward-Prowse whistles a long-range shot that is well held by Steffen.
59 min City are starting to dominate, as they did at this stage of the first half. It’s a hot day, and Southampton have worked their breathable socks off, so fatigue might be a factor.
58 min “Southampton’s whole season is riding on this game in their quest for the singuple,” says Rick Harris. “I’ve been really impressed with Hasenhuttl’s tactics against the big teams this season and if his team destroy City’s treble hopes you wouldn’t bet against them reaching another final.”
Well, you might if they get Liverpool or Chelsea. But I agree with you, Hasenhuttl is a top-class coach. You can never be completely sure, but I think he’s good enough to manage a Big Six team.
Updated
57 min De Bruyne curls over from 20 yards.
55 min Both teams have potential matchwinners on the bench: Redmond, Adams and Broja for Southampton; Mahrez, Foden and Bernardo Silva for City.
54 min Ward-Prowse wins the ball in his own half and releases Adam Armstrong on the left with a long crossfield pass. He runs at the last man Walker and hits a tame shot that deflects behind off Stones.
53 min A helluva scramble in the Southampton area. De Bruyne has a close-range shot blocked crucially by Stephens, and then Rodri’s follow-up is deflected over the bar.
49 min Southampton are right in this game. They have been really impressive both in their pressing and passing.
48 min Romeu stabs an excellent ball to find Adam Armstrong in space, 22 yards from goal. He turns, gets the ball out of his feet but then drags a low shot well wide. That was a decent chance.
47 min A reminder that the game will go extra-time and penalties if necessary. Quarter-final replays are so 2016.
46 min Peep peep! City begin the second half. No changes on either side.
“City would gladly pay £2 million a match to keep anyone emailing this MBM off their team sheet,” says Zach Neeley. “I wonder how many matches it would take me to score a goal with City? Teams would quickly start ignoring me with good reason but I still have to get the ball past a world-class keeper, so maybe low 300s?”
If they gave you chances like this, you’d find a way.
Half-time reading
Half time: Southampton 1-1 Manchester City
What an excellent half of football. Southampton started well, went behind to a soft goal from Raheem Sterling and briefly looked in danger of being overwhelmed. But they dominated the latter part of the half and deservedly equalised through an own goal from Aymeric Laporte.
Updated
Stuart Armstrong, who has had a superb half, poked a fine through pass towards Elyounoussi on the right of the area. He shielded the ball from Steffen, turned and slid a low cross that was screwed into his own net by Laporte.
GOAL! Southampton 1-1 Man City (Laporte 45+2 og)
A deserved equaliser for Southampton! It’ll be checked for offside but I think he’s okay.
Updated
45 min Livramento’s cross is headed well wide by Long. I think he got in Stuart Armstrong’s way, or maybe Armstrong got in his way.
43 min A marvellous cross from Livramento - what a player he is - evades Long, who thinks he was pushed by Walker. Mike Dean disagrees. Southampton eventually win one corner, and then another.
Ward-Prowse’s second corner is only cleared as far as Romeu, 15 yards out. His shot on the bounce is well struck but straight at Steffen.
41 min “Rob dearest,” says Mac Millings. “If anyone wants definitive proof that £300m is too much money for Haaland, I have performed the necessary calculations. Let’s assume that your educated estimate of ‘75 goals before Christmas’ is accurate, and let us therefore project 150 goals a season. Now, based on the fact that even I could score a goal for this City side, that would make me worth £2m. Just have a quiet think about that.”
I’ll have a think, but it might not be quiet.
Updated
39 min Cancelo manages to foul both Stuart Armstrong and Livramento with the same tackle. Ward-Prowse’s free-kick is headed away by Rodri.
36 min Rodri picks up a loose ball in midfield, moves to within 25 yards of goal and hits a low drive that swerves just wide of the far post. Mike Dean gave a corner, so maybe it took a slight deflection; either way it was very close.
35 min The indefatigable Long presses Laporte to win a throw-in on the right. Stephens’ long throw skims off the head of Cancelo and runs through to Steffen.
34 min Salisu is fine.
33 min Salisu falls awkwardly after an aerial challenge with Grealish. There’s a break in play while he receives treatment.
31 min Southampton are picking their moments to press. They’ve done well to stay in the game because City have been sharp in attack.
27 min: Gundogan hits the post! Grealish breaks infield from the left, uses Cancelo by not using him and then does use him on the outside with a short pass. Cancelo absolutely hammers a cross that is diverted onto the near post by Gundogan in the six-yard box. I haven’t seen a replay but my impression is that, rather than it being a bad miss, Gundogan did well to control the shot at all given the pace of Cancelo’s cross.
Updated
26 min “£300m isn’t too much money for Haaland when you factor in the total cost for Pogba which was around 220 million, with basic salary that is,” says Yash Gupta. “But considering how poor City were when they made an offer of £75m + £25m for Kane, I expect £25m + Scott Carson would do for Mino Raiola, best player in the world.”
You lost me at Scott Carson.
Updated
24 min Adam Armstrong misses an excellent chance! Stuart Armstrong slipped a good pass infield to Long, who moved forward and played it to the other Armstrong in the area. He controlled it well on the stretch - it wasn’t a great ball from Long - but then sliced well wide from 15 yards.
Updated
22 min The impressive Livramento plays a one-two with Stuart Armstrong and puts in a cross that is cleared by Jesus.
Updated
20 min Livramento wins a 50/50, not for the first time today, and curves an early ball around Laporte towards Adam Armstrong. Laporte shows good pace to stay with Armstrong and knock the ball back to Steffen.
Updated
19 min Southampton started well but they have struggled since the goal and are in danger of being hypnotised by City’s rhythmic passing.
17 min A poor pass from Romeu is nicked by De Bruyne. He plays it to Jesus, who turns and thrashes over from the edge of the area. City look in the mood.
Updated
15 min A brilliant stat on the BBC. This is the 28th time this season that Manchester City have scored the first goal; they’ve won all of the previous 27.
14 min The City fans appeal optimistically for a penalty when Jesus turns into Salisu in the area. Mike Dean isn’t interested.
GOAL! Southampton 0-1 Manchester City (Sterling 12)
Raheem Sterling gives City the lead after a mistake from Jack Stephens. He failed to clear De Bruyne’s cross properly, instead diverting it meekly to Jesus in the area. He squared it to Sterling, who slid the ball past Forster from 10 yards. Replays show that Sterling’s shot - which was straight at Forster - took a slight but vital touch off the stretching Livramento.
Updated
10 min: Adam Armstrong hits the post! So close for Southampton. Romeu opened City up with a lovely through pass towards Armstrong, who made an excellent run from left to right. He screwed a first-time shot back across Steffen, not the cleanest strike, and it hit the inside of the far post.
Updated
9 min Sterling misses a decent chance. De Bruyne’s pass from the left was intended for Sterling but ran through to Gundogan instead. He made 25 yards and then played in Sterling on the left side of the area. He watched the ball across his body but sliced it wide of the near post with his left foot. The angle was fairly tight; even so, he should probably have worked Forster.
7 min The first bit of pressure from City. De Bruyne marches infield from the right and has a low left-footed shot blocked by a defender, Stephens I think.
5 min Sterling’s 20-yard curler is comfortably saved to his left by Forster.
4 min Long almost has a chance after a strong run through midfield from Stuart Armstrong. He laid it square to Long, who couldn’t take the ball in his stride on the edge of the area and was eventually tackled by Laporte. Southampton have started well.
Updated
3 min “Shane Long?!” says Rachel Clifton. “Why?”
Off-the-ball running I guess; plus he’s been a part of the FA Cup team for most of the season. But yes, I did expect Adams and Broja to start rather than Long and Armstrong.
2 min City have started with Grealish as their false nine. Jesus is on the right, Sterling to the left.
1 min Peep peep! Southampton kick off from left to right. City are in their very very very very very very very very dark blue third kit.
The players stroll out of the tunnel, into the sunshine. It’s a lovely day in Southampton, and you’ll be pleased to hear that Ralph Hasenhuttl is wearing his waistcoat.
“Given City’s reluctance to pay the £150m that would by all accounts have prised Kane away from Spurs it is nonsense to suggest they would pay double that for a 21-year-old who doesn’t actually suit the Guardiola style,” says Rick Harris. “There was a brief period last year when I thought the Solskjaer connection might bring him to Old Trafford, but I reckon Bayern will see him as the natural successor to Lewandowski and for a player comfortable in the Bundesliga that would be the more obvious destination for Haaland.”
Isn’t £300m the total package rather than the fee? I have no idea where he’ll end up, though I’d be loath to rule City out.
Here’s Barney Ronay’s report on a mismatch at Selhurst Park
“For all the City-need-a-real striker chat,” begins Zach Neeley, “they’ve won three of the last four titles, were fiddling and a broken bone in the face of their best player from a European title last year, and the team that’s the difference from them strolling to five leagues in a row also doesn’t have a real striker. Maybe strikers are overrated! (Not for me, I’m an Arsenal fan, getting desperate.)”
I agree with pretty much everything you say, but equally I can’t see how it harms City if Haaland turns up and scores 75 goals before Christmas.
Be very afraid
We know two of the semi-finalists already. Chelsea went through yesterday and will be joined by Crystal Palace, who are hammering Everton at Selhurst Park.
The teams in formation
Southampton (4-2-2-2) Forster; Livramento, Stephens, Salisu, Walker-Peters; Romeu, Ward-Prowse; S Armstrong, Elyounoussi; Long, A Armstrong.
Substitutes: Caballero, Valery, Perraud, Diallo, Smallbone, Redmond, Djenepo, Adams, Broja.
Manchester City (4-1-2-3) Steffen; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo; Rodri; De Bruyne, Gundogan; Jesus, Sterling, Grealish.
Substitutes: Carson, Ake, Zinchenko, Bernardo, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Foden.
Updated
Team news
FA Cup specialist Shane Long, 35, gets a rare start up front for Southampton. That’s one of four changes from last weekend’s defeat against Watford. Tino Livramento, Jack Stephens and Alan Armstrong also come in, with Romain Perraud, Will Smallbone, Che Adams and Jan Bednarek dropping out. All bar Bednarek are on the bench.
Chasing a place in the semi-finals 🏆
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 20, 2022
Here's the #SaintsFC team for today's showdown with #ManCity: pic.twitter.com/M1oVZXAnua
Pep Guardiola also makes four changes from the Manchester City side that drew with Crystal Palace on Monday. Zack Steffen, Ilkay Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling replace Ederson, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez. City have only named seven substitutes from a possible nine.
📋 #FACup TEAM NEWS 📋
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 20, 2022
XI | Steffen, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan (C), Jesus, Sterling, Grealish
SUBS | Carson, Ake, Zinchenko, Bernardo, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Foden#ManCity | @HaysTechnology pic.twitter.com/w8tXlNCqJB
Updated
📍 St Mary's Stadium
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 20, 2022
Where's your support coming from today, #SaintsFC fans? 🌍 pic.twitter.com/AeeIg2iJg3
Preamble
Thoughts with Manchester City at this difficult time. Usually at this stage of the season they are chasing a quadruple. This year it’s merely a treble – but it’s the Treble, a potential upgrade on their domestic hat-trick of 2018-19. If all goes to plan they have another 17 games remaining – nine in the league, five in the Champions League and three in the FA Cup.
The first of those is an awkward trip to Southampton, who, like City, reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup last season. They’re an impressive side, superbly coached by Ralph Hasenhuttl, and are chasing a more modest treble – three games against Manchester City in one season without defeat. Both Premier League matches were drawn, but today there has to be a winner. If Ralph denies Pep a third time, he gets to keep him.
Kick off 3pm.
