Manchester City and Liverpool won their quarterfinal matches to set up a mouthwatering FA Cup Semifinal tie at Wembley.
City defeated a stubborn Southampton side 4-1 at St Mary’s Stadium thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, and Riyad Mahrez with Aymeric Laporte scoring an own goal to give the visitors a mini scare.
Southampton took the game to the much-favored opponents, troubling the Premier League leaders on many occasions. The Citizens broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, however, with Sterling finishing off a pass from Gabriel Jesus.
Despite the set back the home team continued to threaten and were rewarded before half-time with Aymeric Laporte putting a Mohamed Elyounoussi cross into his own goal.
City upped the ante in the second half. Kevin De Bruyne dispatched a penalty to put City in front again after Salisu brought down Jesus in the penalty area. Phil Foden and Mahrez, sent to see out the game, added a goal each to secure a win for their side.
Foden rocketed his shot past Fraser Forster in the 75th minute before Mahrez added some shine to the scoreline by wrong-footing the keeper three minutes later.
The result means City remains active in two cup competitions — the Champions League and FA Cup — as well as leading the Premier League heading into the business end of the season.
Liverpool, meanwhile, needed a 78th-minute winner from Diogo Jota against Nottingham to reach the semifinals of the FA Cup.
Forest had knocked out Premier League sides Arsenal and Leicester City to reach this stage and it looked as though another cup shock could have been on the cards at the City Ground before Jota’s strike sent Steve Cooper’s side crashing out of the competition.
The result means Jurgen Klopp’s side remains in the hunt for a quadruple after they lifted the Carabao Cup trophy last month. Liverpool are also through to the quarterfinals of the Champions League and sit just a point behind City in the Premier League table.
The two best teams in England will take on each other on April 16th with a spot in the final on the line.
