On Saturday, Premier League title contenders Manchester City face Championship promotion contenders Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium in the first of two FA Cup semi-finals.
Team Form
Manchester City
Manchester City has once again advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions League for the third consecutive year. Their spot in the semi-finals was secured thanks to their 4-1 aggregate win over Bayern Munich. In the second leg of the match, Man City earned a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night.
Manchester City has not progressed past the FA Cup semi-final stage for the past three years, losing to Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool, respectively.
As the team is preparing for their next match, a crucial top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal in the Premier League. However, before they can focus on that, they must first defeat Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-finals.
This time around, though, Manchester City will feel confident heading into the semi-final match against lower-league opposition in the form of Sheffield United.
Manchester City Form (All Competitions): W W W W D
Sheffield United
Sheffield United is edging closer to securing promotion from the Championship after defeating Bristol City 1-0 at home on Tuesday night. The crucial second-half goal was scored by James McAtee, who is currently on loan from Manchester City.
Currently sitting second in the second-tier standings, Sheffield United needs one more win to confirm their return to the Premier League. They sit seven points clear of third-placed Luton Town, who have played one more game and dropped points in their recent match against Reading.
This weekend, Paul Heckingbottom’s men will temporarily put their Championship duties aside to compete in their first FA Cup semi-final in nine years. They hope to cause a significant upset and progress to the tournament’s final.
Sheffield United Form (All Competitions): W W L W W
Squad Report
Manchester City
Manchester City may face a potential setback ahead of their upcoming matches, as defender Nathan Ake has become a doubt after sustaining a hamstring injury during the draw against Bayern Munich.
However, Ake has expressed hope that the issue is not severe and is confident of a speedy recovery.
Apart from Ake, the Citizens have no other injury concerns.
Sheffield United
Sheffield United will have to make do without the services of midfield duo James McAtee and Oliver Doyle in their upcoming FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, as both players are ineligible to play against their parent club.
Furthermore, the Blades will miss several other key players due to injuries. Enda Stevens, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Ben Osborn, Rhian Brewster, and Jack O’Connell will all be unavailable for selection, leaving the team with a depleted squad for the crucial match at Wembley.
Manchester City’s expected starting lineup:
Ortega; Stones, Dias, Laporte; Lewis, Rodri; Mahrez, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland
Sheffield United’s expected starting lineup:
Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson; Baldock, Berge, Norwood, Fleck, Lowe; McBurnie, Ndiaye
Head to Head
Manchester City and Sheffield United have faced each other 125 times in various competitions since their first meeting in League Division Two in 1893.
Manchester City has a superior record, winning 53 of their encounters, with Sheffield United winning 38 matches.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Saturday, April 22
Time: 04:45 pm, BST
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
Prediction
Sheffield United will need to produce another resilient performance, similar to the one that saw them keep Tottenham at bay earlier this year if they are to stand a chance against a formidable Manchester City side in the FA Cup semi-final.
However, given Manchester City’s impressive form and quality, they should have little difficulty securing a comfortable victory at Wembley and booking their spot in the final.
