FA Cup Semi-Final Preview and Prediction

Manchester City vs Chelsea Prediction: FA Cup Semi-Final Preview

Man City have become the first team in FA Cup history to reach the semi-finals in six straight seasons. However, they have played in six FA Cup semi-finals under Pep Guardiola and have only progressed from two of them.

Manchester City’s reign as UEFA Champions League holders came crashing to a halt heartbreakingly on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola’s men failing to put away a stubborn Real Madrid side before succumbing in a penalty shootout.
While City will have plenty of regrets at the end of a tie they dominated for long periods, they have no time to dwell on that loss as they head to Wembley Stadium for the first of this weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals, to take on Chelsea.

With one of their three titles slipping away, City will be determined to avoid a repeat on Saturday, with a potential rematch of last year’s FA Cup final against neighbours Manchester United still on the cards.

This is the seventh time in eight seasons under Guardiola that City have reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, and they are the first team in the competition’s 153-year history to reach the last four in six straight campaigns.

However, they have only progressed from two of their six previous semi-final ties under Guardiola – against Brighton and Hove Albion in 2019 and Sheffield United in 2023 – and three of their four losses have come against London clubs (two versus Arsenal, one against Chelsea).

City are unbeaten through their last eight meetings with Chelsea in all competitions, winning six and drawing two, though both Premier League meetings between the sides this season finished level.

The teams played out a thrilling 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge in November, with Palmer’s stoppage-time penalty salvaging a point for the Blues, before Rodri cancelled out Sterling’s opener in a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium in February.

Chelsea have been eliminated from five of their last seven FA Cup ties against City, including a 4-0 loss on their travels in the third round of last season’s tournament.

Inside 90 minutes, Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 12 games across all competitions (seven wins, five draws including February’s extra-time defeat to Liverpool). Since last visiting Wembley for the EFL Cup final, they have scored at least two goals in each of their eight matches (26 in total).

The Blues have been eliminated from five of their last six FA Cup ties against the reigning champions, though they did win their most recent such encounter, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the quarter-finals in 2017.

City, meanwhile, are looking to reach the FA Cup final in back-to-back seasons for the third time in their history, previously doing so in 1933 and 1934 and 1955 and 1956

Excluding penalty shootouts, they are unbeaten in 28 games in all competitions since December’s 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa (22 wins, six draws).

City have also won 28 of their last 31 FA Cup matches (three defeats), enjoying two 10-game winning streaks in that span, including their current one. The last team to record a longer winning run in the competition was Chelsea (13 games between 2009 and 2011).

PREDICTION: OVER 2.5 GOALS @1.55

Coventry vs Manchester United Prediction: FA Cup Semi-Final Preview

Man Utd have progressed from 50 of their last 52 FA Cup ties against teams from a lower division, the exceptions coming against Leeds United in 2010 and Middlesbrough in 2022.

Coventry have scored 19 goals in the FA Cup proper this season, more than any other side. The last non-top-flight team to net more in a single campaign was Wrexham in 1977-78 (22).

The Sky Blues’ only previous semi-final outing saw them beat Leeds United 3-2 in extra time in April 1987, before downing Tottenham by the same score in a classic final the following month.

Teams from outside the top flight have lost their last six FA Cup semi-finals combined, though, since Cardiff City reached the final in 2008 when they beat fellow Championship side Barnsley.

However, Robins’ men may just fancy their chances of troubling opponents who have faced 340 shots in all competitions since the turn of the year – more than any other team from England’s top four divisions. Coventry have scored 19 goals in five FA Cup games this season, the most by a non-top-flight team in a single campaign since Wrexham netted 22 times in 1977-78.

Simms has had a major part to play in that respect, netting five times in his last two FA Cup matches after failing to score in any of his first four. That is the most goals scored by a Coventry player in a single FA Cup campaign since Keith Houchen netted five times on their triumphant 1986-87 run.

With Coventry having no new selection issues, Simms will likely be supported by Wright, Kasey Palmer and Milan van Ewijk, while Callum O’Hare and Josh Eccles are eyeing starts after being benched last weekend.

For United and Erik ten Hag, it looks to be a case of FA Cup or bust, with their hopes of a top-four Premier League finish in tatters amid a four-game winless run (three draws, one loss) that has left them 13 points adrift of Aston Villa and seen them slip below Newcastle United into seventh place.

The Red Devils were perhaps fortunate to escape the Vitality Stadium with a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth on Saturday, with a VAR intervention denying the Cherries a stoppage-time penalty when Willy Kambwala’s foul on Ryan Christie was adjudged to have occurred outside the area.

United will hope a return to cup action provides them with a boost, having not tasted victory since their thrilling extra-time triumph over Liverpool in the last round.

Man Utd have won 13 of their last 15 meetings with Coventry across all competitions (two defeats), though Sunday’s game will be the first between the teams since September 2007.

The Sky Blues came out on top on that occasion, winning an EFL Cup third-round tie 2-0 at Old Trafford. A 19-year-old Evans started alongside Gerard Piqué in the heart of United’s defence.

This will be the first FA Cup meeting between the teams since 1987, when Coventry beat United 1-0 in the fourth round en route to lifting the trophy. Before that, the teams faced off in the fourth round in 1985, United winning 2-1 and going on to win the competition.

The Red Devils have progressed from 50 of their last 52 FA Cup ties against teams from a lower division, the exceptions being a 1-0 defeat to Leeds in January 2010 and a penalty-shootout loss to Middlesbrough in February 2022, both at Old Trafford.

United have only won one of their last seven games within 90 minutes (four draws, two defeats) across all competitions, beating Everton 2-0 in the Premier League last month.

Coventry, meanwhile, have lost three of their last four games after winning each of their previous four – a run that included their remarkable triumph at Wolves.

They are bidding to eliminate multiple top-flight clubs from the FA Cup in a single season for the first time since 1997-98 (three teams), when they were a Premier League outfit.

PREDICTION: MAN UTD TO WIN @1.53