There was a young lad who boarded the train at Stockport on Saturday morning with his dad and one of his old man's friends. Another joined them at Wilmslow, asking the kid – who could only have been seven or so – when he found out about the Wembley tickets. Turns out he had suspected a trip down to London all week after hearing a few whispers at home. Talking about the day ahead, he had that shy giddiness of a child going to big-match football that we all had once.
This was the first time he was witnessing Manchester City at Wembley. The first time he was going to the capital. City might have been here 33 times since the sands shifted that FA Cup semi-final day against Manchester United 15 years ago but there is always a first for somebody somewhere. Twenty-three games at the national stadium during Pep Guardiola's decade, hitting 24 at the final later this month. It is little wonder that thousands of red seats were visible in their end.
These days will not be as frequent when Guardiola goes but even so, that lad will surely remember this over all others now. A nerve-jangler against the Championship's form team who dumped out Arsenal in the last eight, an afternoon that exploded into life late on. City were behind with 11 minutes left, Finn Azaz's stunningly venomous strike, and then bailed out by Jeremy Doku 180 seconds later. Nico Gonzalez, a man who has failed to convince Guardiola, thundered in a winner from 25 yards – the drama of which had captain Bernardo Silva dancing like Nobby Stiles. The domestic Treble is still on, still in their sights – even if this was supposed to be a serene passage to a record fourth consecutive final.
Nico Gonzalez's stunning goal from range sends Man City into fourth straight FA Cup final
Pep Guardiola's side fell behind against Southampton but struck twice late for a 2-1 victory. At one point, Guardiola stood with hands raised to head as John Stones – midway into Southampton's half - surveyed the scene ahead of him. Tight, compact, no real passing lines and a back six who were adept at jumping from position to nick quick ball. Stones attempted to break the first line, which can only have been eight or nine yards, between the opposition defence and their midfield. It required the surgical precision of 2023 Stones, the roving Stones, not the somewhat rusty '26 version who has featured in one game since Valentine's Day.
The move broke down, as many did in an attritional first half that only served to highlight a chasm between City's preferred team, playing alongside each other every week and in a smooth groove, and throwing together the current second string, all of whom are shy on match minutes. It was not until the 35th minute that City truly breached Saints, Rayan Cherki coming deep to dictate proceedings and Omar Marmoush smashing into the legs of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.
For that, Tonda Eckert – the 33-year-old trying to mastermind a return to the Premier League having only taken over in November – deserves credit. A back six out of possession, yes, but a slight tweak on the low blocks that City have faced so many times across Guardiola's tenure. Rather than both wingers filling in as extra full backs, Eckert only used one to perform that dual role. Tom Fellows dropped back to take care of Rayan Ait-Nouri's progressive runs. And instead of Leo Scienza following suit on the other side, central midfielder Caspar Jander becoming a defender instead.
What Southampton gained from that decision is Scienza's threat on the break, loitering menacingly, playing cat and mouse with City's right back Matheus Nunes. Indeed, Scienza – the Brazilian who once slept on a basement floor while struggling in the Swedish fifth division – stroked past James Trafford early on, only to be ruled offside. The Saints end did not realise for a good 30 seconds, still jumping deliriously when the semi-final had restarted.
Southampton's optimism and City's struggles
There felt an air of optimism from a fanbase largely made up of those who had not been around for their only FA Cup trophy in 1976, when Manchester United were downed. Each tackle was roared, every headed applauded. Jander knocking Phil Foden off his stride, Nathan Ake needing to throw himself at Fellows as he galloped clear. Guardiola's team, narrow themselves, appeared to be cancelled out by a side whose unbeaten run beforehand stood at 20, dating back to mid-January. On current form, this could well become a league fixture again in a few months.
Tight and cagey, bordering boring, cameras panned to a couple of City supporters who had drifted off in the north London sun. Guardiola demanded a response from his players, Marmoush courageously foiled by ex-defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis at the last and Ait-Nouri finding more room on the left. Too often City chose the wrong final ball, or didn't inject energy with enough purpose. They will have been aware that Southampton dramatically halted the 2023 Quadruple, Nathan Jones knocking City out of the Carabao Cup. After that, Guardiola hammered his team – a reserve side, just like this – and threatened to bring in academy kids. There must have been part of him wondering to lean into that sort of treatment at half time.
As Foden wrapped his foot around an effort to balloon into the stands, Guardiola visibly recoiled and immediately sent for both Jeremy Doku and Savinho. As a result of City not exerting enough dominance and very deliberately wanting to widen the pitch. That shot had been Foden's last act and he is highly unlikely to now start any further games before Thomas Tuchel names England's squad for the World Cup. The drop off in form and confidence since Christmas has been staggering. Marmoush wasted another golden opportunity as Erling Haaland went to warm up.
Peretz stopped a Savinho effort, while seconds later Guardiola was running in James Trafford's direction to hail his intervention as Southampton broke dangerously. A game of football had broken out which must have at least awoken sleeping supporters up – only for TV cameras to pan to a snoozing man of a Saints persuasion. Guardiola sent for Haaland and Nico O'Reilly, a decision he would rather not have had to make. Soon, Gonzalez was going close, Cherki appealing for a penalty before the unthinkable happened. Azaz span and smashed past a despairing Trafford, only for Doku to dribble across Southampton's box before Fellows deflected his shot in. And then, with three minutes left, Gonzalez fancied it from 25 yards. The net nearly came off. Memories, but not how you might have imagined.
