Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Liverpool beat Man City to reach FA Cup final

Liverpool beat Man City to reach FA Cup final

Liverpool survived a late scare to remain on course for an historic quadruple as they reached the FA Cup final with victory over Manchester City at Wembley.

If last Sunday's Premier League meeting between the clubs was a classic, this semi-final was effectively decided in a one-sided first 45 minutes, in which a mixture of ruthless finishing and Manchester City mistakes saw Liverpool take a 3-0 lead.

A reshuffled City side were unable to recover as Liverpool, having won the Carabao Cup, are now in the FA Cup final too - as well as the last four of the Champions League, while sitting second in the Premier League.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who was unable to start Kevin de Bruyne and had Kyle Walker out injured, preferred Zack Steffen to Ederson in goal, a move that back-fired spectacularly.

Ibrahima Konate had already headed Liverpool in front after nine minutes when Steffen, trying to repeat the feats of Ederson in the league game between these two clubs, miscontrolled in his six-yard area, allowing Sadio Mane to pounce.

Mane beat Steffen with a crisp volley at the end of a superb Liverpool build-up to put Jurgen Klopp's side in complete command at the break but Jack Grealish pulled one back early in the second half and keeper Alisson twice saved crucially from Gabriel Jesus as this semi-final sprang to life.

Bernardo Silva pulled another back for City at the start of a tense period of stoppage time but Liverpool survived to face either Chelsea or Crystal Palace, who meet at Wembley on Sunday, in the final on 14 May.

Liverpool on course for history


Liverpool's win keeps them in contention to make history - as no team in English football has won the league title, the two main domestic cup competitions and become champions of Europe in the same season.

This was a win built on the foundation of a first half in which their intensity and ruthlessness proved too much for City, whose revamped side looked off the pace and unable to cope with the power of Klopp's side.

Konate's power in the air saw him score his third header in his past three starts and Mane's alertness was never going to allow Steffen to get away with his hesitation as he attempted to keep possession in the six-yard area.

Ederson had the calmness and expertise to escape almost on his goal-line as Diogo Jota bore down on him during last Sunday's 2-2 draw at Etihad Stadium but Steffen showed no such expertise or composure, and paid a heavy price as he was caught.

Mane led the Liverpool charge while Thiago was imperious in midfield, his clever pass allowing Mane to volley past Steffen at his near post in the closing moments of the first half for what eventually proved to be the winner.

Klopp was elated with his team's performance at the conclusion, although he will have concerns about how they allowed City back into the game through Grealish's goal, conceded two clear chances to Jesus then had to survive the anxiety of four minutes of stoppage time after Silva struck.

In the final reckoning, however, Liverpool deserved to reach the final and will present a formidable barrier to either Chelsea or Crystal Palace once the winner of the second semi-final is decided.

Man City too late to the party


This was not a good day for Manchester City.

It started with a section of their support chanting through the minute's silence to commemorate the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, with City issuing a formal apology to Liverpool after the match had started.

In the football context, Guardiola and City were left to regret injuries, a team selection that did not work out and a horribly laboured first 45 minutes that left them with too much to do, despite the brief hope offered by Silva's second goal.

City missed the invention of De Bruyne, only fit enough for the bench after suffering an injury in the stormy Champions Leaque quarter-final against Atletico Madrid, and the experience of defender Walker, who was ruled out completely.

And Guardiola's loyalty to Steffen as his FA Cup keeper was not rewarded as the American made that crucial error that allowed Liverpool to build on their fast start.

Guardiola will be disappointed but this is a quality side who will now refocus and set sights on the Premier League, where they lead Liverpool by one point, and the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

He will hope to have De Bruyne and Walker back fully fit soon because, despite this loss, there is still so much at stake for Guardiola and Manchester City as they remain in a position to achieve stellar things this season.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
×