Match ends, Manchester City 2, Liverpool 3.
Man CityManchester City2LiverpoolLiverpool3
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.
- One of Liverpool's best ever performances - Klopp
- Do Liverpool now hold psychological edge?
- Relive Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final win
- Man City sorry as Hillsborough silence interrupted
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.
Player of the match
ManéSadio Mané
with an average of 8.54
Manchester City
Avg
Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating5.05
Squad number6Player nameAkéAverage rating4.83
Squad number5Player nameStonesAverage rating4.79
- Squad number10Player nameGrealishAverage rating
4.55
Squad number20Player nameBernardo SilvaAverage rating4.54
- Squad number27Player nameJoão CanceloAverage rating
4.53
Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating4.34
Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating4.29
Squad number25Player nameFernandinhoAverage rating4.05
Squad number11Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating3.99
Squad number7Player nameSterlingAverage rating3.87
- Squad number13Player nameSteffenAverage rating
2.94
Liverpool
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameManéAverage rating
8.54
- Squad number23Player nameDíazAverage rating
8.03
- Squad number5Player nameKonatéAverage rating
7.85
- Squad number6Player nameThiago AlcántaraAverage rating
7.75
Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating7.49
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating7.30
Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating7.25
- Squad number3Player nameFabinhoAverage rating
7.24
- Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating
7.23
- Squad number8Player nameKeïtaAverage rating
7.19
Squad number9Player nameRoberto FirminoAverage rating6.75
Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating6.72
Squad number14Player nameHendersonAverage rating6.52
- Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating
6.50
- Squad number17Player nameJonesAverage rating
6.35
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Steffen
- 27Cancelo
- 5Stones
- 6Aké
- 11Zinchenko
- 25FernandinhoBooked at 57mins
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 9Gabriel JesusBooked at 27minsSubstituted forMahrezat 83'minutes
- 10Grealish
- 47Foden
- 7Sterling
Substitutes
- 3Rúben Dias
- 8Gündogan
- 14Laporte
- 16Rodri
- 17De Bruyne
- 26Mahrez
- 31Ederson
- 48Delap
- 90Lavia
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- 5Konaté
- 4van Dijk
- 26Robertson
- 8KeïtaBooked at 48minsSubstituted forHendersonat 73'minutes
- 3FabinhoBooked at 37mins
- 6Thiago AlcántaraSubstituted forJonesat 87'minutes
- 11Salah
- 10ManéBooked at 61minsSubstituted forJotaat 85'minutes
- 23DíazSubstituted forFirminoat 85'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Milner
- 9Firmino
- 12Gomez
- 14Henderson
- 17Jones
- 20Jota
- 21Tsimikas
- 32Matip
- 62Kelleher
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
- Attendance:
- 73,793
Match Stats
Home TeamMan CityAway TeamLiverpool
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away7
- Corners
- Home5
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away12
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester City 2, Liverpool 3.
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Foul by Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).
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Zack Steffen (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt missed. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Roberto Firmino following a fast break.
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Attempt saved. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jack Grealish.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Diogo Jota.
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Attempt blocked. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.
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Attempt blocked. Fernandinho (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nathan Aké with a headed pass.
Goal!
Goal! Manchester City 2, Liverpool 3. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner.
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Attempt saved. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Phil Foden.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Curtis Jones replaces Thiago.
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Foul by Andrew Robertson (Liverpool).
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Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Roberto Firmino replaces Luis Díaz.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Diogo Jota replaces Sadio Mané.
Post update
Attempt missed. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Comments
Join the conversation
Can I apologise to the whole of Liverpool for the action of these idiots.
These are probably the best teams in the world
But why in earth are grown men disrespecting a minute silence for those who died?
Utter filthy idiots
Another great game
Some Blues should be ashamed of themselves for start of the game
Well done ‘Pool for thrashing us in first half. We looked jaded and off the pace but some of that was down to the guys in red playing so well. Mane was immense
2nd half, we were much better. I don’t think we ‘won’ the half by 2 goals in terms of play but in the end Pep’s loyalty to our 2nd keeper was the difference
Quad on!
JFT97.