Manchester City are at Wembley Stadium to take on Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final.
Manchester City are looking to reach the FA Cup final but must overcome fierce rivals Liverpool at Wembley in today’s semi-final.
City and Liverpool drew in an entertaining 2-2 draw in the Premier League six days ago to keep the Blues top of the table. There must be a winner in this semi-final, though, with Pep Guardiola looking to extend City’s good run against Liverpool to six games unbeaten and one defeat in ten.
Guardiola couldn’t confirm if injury concerns Kevin De Bruyne or Kyle Walker were fit to play after they limped off vs Atletico Madrid in midweek, but he will have Gabriel Jesus back available after his Champions League suspension. After City came through a bruising tie with Atletico Madrid, Liverpool were able to rest seven key players including Mo Salah and Virgil Van Dijk, although Diogo Jota is an injury doubt.
As well as the men’s team in action at Wembley, City Women are also in FA Cup semi-final action as they take on West Ham in the capital at 12.15pm.
Follow below for pre-match build-up, live match updates and post-match reaction from Wembley.
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14:09KEY EVENT
Full time – City Women reach Women’s Cup final!
There’s the whistle, and City are heading to the FA Cup final after a 4-1 victory over West Ham.
Lauren Hemp scored her second just before the end in a comprehensive second half performance.
The Women have won their semi-final – will the men win theirs?
13:54JOE BRAY
#Ad: Man City vs Liverpool odds with Betfred
The bookmakers think City are slight favourites to win today, but might have to do it in extra time or on penalties.
Match odds (90 mins only)
- Man City – 6/4
- Draw – 5/2
- Liverpool – 15/8
To Qualify odds
- Man City – 19/20
- Liverpool – Evens
GOAL – City make it three!
City have restored their two-goal lead in the Women’s FA Cup semi-final, as Lauren Hemp gets an inch of space on the left of the area and it’s enough for her to fire a pinpoint shot across the goalkeeper and in off the far post.
City lead 3-1 with 23 minutes left.
Liverpool injury concern
Diogo Jota is Liverpool’s only injury concern for today’s game.
Mo Salah was rested on Wednesday in the Champions League with Benfica, but Jurgen Klopp confirmed there was no injury reason behind that decision.
With Liverpool leading Benfica 3-1 after the first leg, Klopp was able to rest Virgil Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Thiago, Fabinho, Salah and Sadio Mane. They should all be in line to return today in the cup.
What a day for a semi-final
It’s a beautiful spring day at Wembley, not a cloud in the sky and around 20 degrees. Wembley Way is a sea of blue and red and as fans these are the kind of days in the season we live for.
This campaign remains an oasis of possibilities for both clubs and every game is a huge one for City and Liverpool.
For one club those possibilities will shrink today, for another the path to history will open up. But right now it feels like bliss around Wembley.
GOAL – West Ham pull one back
West Ham have halved the deficit in the Women’s FA Cup semi-final as Lisa Evans scores just before the break. In fairness, they’ve played well and deserve their goal.
It’s 2-1 to City at the break.
This was how Chloe Kelly put City two goals ahead before Evans’ goal:
GOAL! City are two goals up!
City are in control in the Women’s FA Cup semi-final now.
West Ham pass across their own area and gift the ball to Chloe Kelly in acres of space. In her first start in almost a year following an awful long-term injury, Kelly makes no mistake to slot past the goalkeeper.
What a moment for her, and it could be sending City into a cup final.
Pep could abandon ‘keeper policy
Pep Guardiola is considering ditching his usual policy of playing Zack Steffen in domestic cup games as Manchester City gear up to face Liverpool. The FA Cup semi-final at Wembley will be the second meeting of the Premier League’s top two in six days following last Sunday’s 2-2 draw which ensured City stayed top.
Guardiola normally prefers to play his reserve goalkeeper in the FA Cup and League Cup, to ensure they get games under their belts in case they are needed to step in, and also as a reward for long hours on the training ground without much matchday action. Steffen has played in every domestic cup game this season when fit, but Guardiola admitted he may stick with Ederson for the clash with Jurgen Klopp’s team.
Liverpool were bold enough to press City high last week, and Ederson’s kicking game is much better suited to that style. With City suffering a couple of injuries and with plenty of tired limbs just three days after a tough Champions League game against Atletico Madrid, Guardiola is giving the matter serious consideration.
“I am going to think about it,” he said.
Watch White’s goal
It’s a good header, but what about that strike from Keira Walsh.
GOAL!! City lead vs West Ham!!
It’s been a tense start in the Women’s FA Cup final but City have sneaked ahead.
It’s a superb half-volley from Keira Walsh that strikes the bar, before bouncing down into the path for Ellen White to head in the rebound.
Midway through the first half and City are ahead.
Guardiola priorities should make Man City underdogs vs Liverpool
Pep Guardiola may be forced to prioritise Manchester City’s defence of the Premier League title when it comes to the FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool. With a vital home game against unpredictable Brighton just four days away, the Blues manager has some big calls to make in his team selection.
Bruised, battered and exhausted after the Battle of Madrid, Guardiola may well take a gamble on leaving out — or at least benching — some of his key players against what is likely to be a full-strength and rested Liverpool. He has faith in squad players like Fernandinho, Aleks Zinchenko, and Nathan Ake — and could be boosted by the return of Ruben Dias — but is set to be without Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker.
Playing Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo and Phil Foden again so soon after that night in the Wanda Metropolitano could have repercussions for the visit of the Seagulls on Wednesday.
Pick your best City team to take on Liverpool
Read how our writers think City should line up today HERE and use the interactive selector below to pick your best team:
Two semi-finals for the price of one
It’s not just the men’s team in action against Liverpool today, as the City Women’s team are in London for an FA Cup semi-final of their own.
They take on West Ham for a place in the final at Wembley, and have named a strong side including a first start of the season for Chloe Kelly after her long-term injury.
We’ll bring you any relevant updates and highlights from that game as City look to make it two wins from two in the cup semi-finals today:
Early City team news
City are sweating on the fitness of two players, but will welcome another back from suspension:
- Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker will be assessed today after picking up injuries in Madrid.
- Neither player trained yesterday and are major doubts to play.
- Ruben Dias could play after recovering from injury.
- Gabriel Jesus is back from his Champions League suspension.
- Ederson could start, despite Zack Steffen being the ‘cup’ goalkeeper, Guardiola says.
Good morning!
Hello, and welcome to today’s coverage of City vs Liverpool in a massive FA Cup semi-final today.
It was 2-2 at the Etihad six days ago, with plenty of drama on and off the field since then in the Champions League. Both sides remain in the hunt for the Premier League and European Cup, but only one will still be in the hunt for an FA Cup by the time they leave Wembley tonight.
We’ll have all the build-up, live match updates, highlights and reaction from Wembley right here throughout the day.
