- Man City face Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final
- The Saints beat Arsenal in the previous round
- They are unbeaten in 20 games
Manchester City face Southampton at Wembley Stadium on Saturday in the FA Cup semi-finals, so we’re taking a closer look at City’s opponents ahead of this weekend.
Pep Guardiola’s side booked their place in the final four of this year’s FA Cup with a dominant, 4-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad.
The win earned the Carabao Cup winners a record eighth successive semi-final appearance in the FA Cup, and the chance to compete for a domestic treble.
Saturday’s opponents, Southampton, meanwhile, overcame Arsenal in their quarter-final. Ahead of the weekend, we’re taking a closer look at the Saints’ season so far, and where they might cause City problems.
Tonda Eckert has transformed the Saints
As recently as November, Southampton were flirting with the Championship relegation zone under manager Will Still.
But since replacing him with former under-21s coach Tonda Eckert, the turnaround has been transformational.
Back-to-back 😮💨
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 10, 2026
Tonda Eckert is the @SkyBetChamp Manager of the Month ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2pGzVfA34b
Now 20 games unbeaten in all competitions, the Saints have risen from 21st to fourth in the table, and could still earn automatic promotion.
Tuesday’s draw against Bristol City ended a run of eight straight victories, including beating Premier League leaders Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-finals to set up Saturday’s tie with City.
Who are Southampton’s main threats?
After two strong transfer windows this season, Southampton have a very different squad to the one that was relegated 12 months ago.
Arrivals such as on-loan Bayern Munich goalkeeper Daniel Peretz and Canadian striker Cyle Larin have added quality at both ends of the pitch, but the three players below are who City should watch out for.
Leo Scienza
Brazilian winger Leo Scienza has been phenomenal since joining from German side FC Heidenheim last summer.
Leo Scienza btw 🔥🔥🔥
— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) April 12, 2026
Look at that finesse 🤤pic.twitter.com/IFyU0O6mhK
The 27-year-old has seven goals and 10 assists, while his dribbling and movement have caused untold problems for opponents.
Finn Azaz
Republic of Ireland international Finn Azaz is another creative player that City will have to be wary of. The attacking midfielder has a combined 43 goals and assists in the Championship over the past two seasons.
Former Middlesbrough man Azaz also joined Southampton at the start of the season, and has registered 17 gol involvements for his new club.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
Finally, defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis is a name familiar to many at Man City. The academy graduate made eight senior appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side before moving to the South Coast in 2023/24.
The 24-year-old has been one of the best defenders in the Championship, and was one of the few Saints players that looked to be Premier League quality last season.
Oh wow this ball from Taylor Harwood-Bellis 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/NhCi7VVUW1
— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) January 31, 2026
Harwood-Bellis is especially dangerous from set-pieces, with six goals this season demonstrating the aerial threat he could pose on Saturday.
Southampton’s FA Cup run so far
It’s been a mightily impressive run for second-tier Southampton in this year’s competition. After nervy wins against Doncaster and Leicester, they overcame Premier League opposition in Fulham before stunning Arsenal at St. Mary’s.
What a run it’s been to @wembleystadium for @SouthamptonFC in the #EmiratesFACup 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dBHiLj6DFA
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 20, 2026
Southampton took the lead against the Gunners through Ross Stewart – who also scored the winning penalty at Craven Cottage to beat Fulham.
Viktor Gyokeres then levelled, before former Man City midfielder Shea Charles grabbed a late winner to send the South Coast side to Wembley.
How wary should Manchester City be of Southampton?
On paper, this should still be a comfortable win for the Sky Blues. City have lost just one of their last 10 meeting with Southampton, a 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat in 2023.
However, Tonda Eckert’s Saints have already dispatched two Premier League opponents this season, and will enter Saturday’s semi-final brimming with confidence thanks to their 20-game unbeaten run.
City’s quality and big game experience should see them through against their lower league opponents, but as Arsenal showed, this Southampton side is not to be underestimated.
