Liverpool and Manchester City’s bid for historic trophy-winning hauls will clash in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley next month after coming through their quarter-final ties in differing fashion.
City on Sunday finally got the better of Southampton at the third attempt this season with a 4-1 win, while Liverpool needed a late Diogo Jota strike to see off Championship side Nottingham Forest 1-0.
Forest had dumped out holders Leicester City and Arsenal on their run to the last eight, and could easily have caused another shock had the fine margins gone their way at the City Ground.
Photo: AP
Ninety-seven seats were left unoccupied in an act of remembrance for those who lost their lives at Hillsbrough when the two sides last met in the FA Cup in 1989.
Juergen Klopp made seven changes, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Andy Robertson among those rested, and it showed in a ragged Liverpool performance.
Roberto Firmino should have put the Reds in front before halftime when he tried to dink the ball over Ethan Horvath with just the goalkeeper to beat, but it was Forest who had the better chances after the break.
Philip Zinckernagel missed the best of them 14 minutes from time when he slotted wide after Brennan Johnson’s inviting cross.
Three minutes later, Jota showed the Forest forwards how it is done as he stretched to meet Kostak Tsimikas’ cross for his 19th goal of the season.
Still the hosts could have taken the game to extra-time when Ryan Yates headed straight into the arms of Alisson and had a penalty appeal turned down as he rounded the Brazilian goalkeeper, but Liverpool held on to book a meeting with City when one side’s quest for history will come to an end.
City are aiming to match Manchester United’s historic feat in 1998-1999 of winning the treble of UEFA Champions League, English Premier League and FA Cup, while Liverpool, who trail Pep Guardiola’s men by one point at the top of the Premier League table, are aiming to go one better by adding those three trophies to the EFL Cup they won last month.
Despite a more resounding scoreline, City also struggled for the first hour at St Mary’s as a Southampton side that held the English champions twice in the league this season caused them problems once again.
“We started really well and then we forgot to play,” Guardiola said. “We know it’s so difficult because Southampton are one of the best organized teams.”
Adam Armstrong hit the post early on for the Saints, but just seconds later Raheem Sterling opened the scoring with a cool finish from Gabriel Jesus’ pass.
Ilkay Gundogan then hit the woodwork for City, but Southampton got the equalizer their performance deserved when Aymeric Laporte deflected Mohamed Elyounoussi’s cross into his own net.
With the tie delicately poised, Southampton’s good work was undone when Mohammed Salisu needlessly dived in on Jesus to concede a penalty.
Fraser Forster got a hand to Kevin de Bruyne’s spot-kick, but could not keep it out.
City’s strength in depth off the bench then took the game away from the hosts, as substitutes Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez produced lethal finishes to round off the scoring.
Crystal Palace will face Chelsea in the other semi-final after thrashing struggling Everton 4-0 at Selhurst Park.
Marc Guehi, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Wilfried Zaha and Will Hughes got the goals as the Eagles continued their impressive first season under Patrick Vieira.
“Going to Wembley is fantastic,” Vieira said. “You can hear the atmosphere in the stadium, the fans — this is what they wanted and we wanted to give it to them.”
Everton’s focus now turns to just staying in the Premier League as they sit perilously just above the relegation zone.
“We allowed them a free pass into the semi-final without Palace even playing particularly well,” Everton manager Frank Lampard said.
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