Man City vs. Southampton confirmed lineups: Erling Haaland benched as Pep Guardiola makes eight changes for FA Cup semi-final

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made a full of 8 changes to his starting lineup for this afternoon’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Southampton astatine Wembley Stadium.

Erling Haaland has scored 12 goals successful arsenic galore FA Cup appearances for the Citizens, astir precocious netting a hat-trick successful the 4-0 quarter-final triumph implicit Liverpool earlier this month.

However, the prolific Norwegian volition statesman arsenic a substitute, portion Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marc Guehi, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico O’Reilly, Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku person besides dropped down to the bench. Antoine Semenyo is near retired of the matchday squad, though.

Matheus Nunes and Rayan Ait-Nouri are 2 of lone 3 survivors from the broadside that began the 1-0 Premier League triumph implicit Burnley connected Wednesday, and the full-back brace volition beryllium joined successful a four-man defence by centre-backs John Stones – wearing the captain’s armband – and Nathan Ake.

In-form playmaker Rayan Cherki besides retains his spot successful the archetypal XI and is acceptable to run successful a three-man frontline alongside Phil Foden and Omar Marmoush.

Mateo Kovacic is handed his archetypal commencement of the 2025-26 play for Man City aft respective months sidelined done injury, and helium is joined successful centre-midfield by Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders.

Stephens ruled retired arsenic Eckert makes six changes to Southampton XI

As for Southampton, caput manager Tonda Eckert has made a full of six changes to the broadside that began the 2-2 gully with Bristol City successful the Championship connected Tuesday.

Jack Stephens has failed to retrieve successful clip from a calf injury, truthful ex-Man City subordinate Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Nathan Wood volition proceed to nexus arms astatine the bosom of the defence.

James Bree besides retains his spot astatine right-back, but Welington is recalled astatine left-back to regenerate the suspended Ryan Manning.

Shea Charles - different subordinate erstwhile connected the books astatine Man City who scored an 85th-minute victor successful the 2-1 quarter-final triumph implicit Arsenal - and suspended Flynn Downes person some been replaced successful midfield by Caspar Jander and Cam Bragg.

Wingers Tom Fellows and Leo Scienza person been recalled astatine the disbursal of Kuryu Matsuki and Cameron Archer, and they volition nexus up with Finn Azaz successful down cardinal striker Ross Stewart, who has replaced Cyle Larin.

Manchester City starting lineup: Trafford; Nunes, Stones, Ake, Ait-Nouri; Gonzalez, Kovacic, Reijnders; Cherki, Foden, Marmoush

Subs: Donnarumma, Haaland, Doku, Guéhi, Bernardo, Savinho, O'Reilly, Khusanov, Lewis

Southampton starting lineup: Peretz; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Welington; Jander, Bragg; Fellows, Azaz, Scienza; Stewart

Subs: Long, Quarshie, Jelert, Charles, Matsuki, Robinson, Edozie, Archer, Larin