Man City keep domestic treble dream alive and have potential Premier League title race advantage over Arsenal

Sunday, 26 April 2026 07:32

“Not many journalists here, right? The game looks like it is not important.” It was the first thing Pep Guardiola said when he arrived for his press conference after Manchester City beat Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

Becoming the first side to reach the final of football's oldest competition for a fourth consecutive season would usually be the main event but City's Premier League title rivals Arsenal were also in action, securing a nervy 1-0 win over Newcastle to go top.

Perhaps it grated for Guardiola, the only manager to win an English domestic treble, that his team taking a big step towards repeating that feat was being somewhat overlooked. He insists it is "too far away" to talk about, though.

City survived an almighty scare from Southampton, conceding a 79th-minute screamer from Finn Azaz before producing a response worthy of champions with goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez securing their place in the May 16 final against Chelsea or Leeds.

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Asked about the domestic treble, Guardiola said: "Before the Aston Villa game [the last game of the Premier League season] I will tell you if there is a chance. Now it's far, far away.

"It's important to have three days off for the players. I told them, 'don't think about football. Rest, then we start a season of five games plus the final of the FA Cup.'"

City's six finals in 21 days

City, who now sit three points behind Arsenal having played a game fewer, are potentially six games away from adding the Premier League and FA Cup to their Carabao Cup trophy.

Those matches take place over a 21-day period, beginning when City return to action on Monday May 4, for their trip to Everton in the Premier League, live on Sky Sports.

Asked if every game will be like a final, Guardiola said: "Absolutely. Six games - if we win, we'll be there. If we lose, it's over.

"People ask to define [City], how many Champions Leagues? How many this and that? To define the club, five Carabao Cup [wins] and playing four FA Cup finals in a row. That defines us.

"You can always have a bad afternoon, a bad day with injuries and you cannot be there. In this competition, the minor one compared to the Premier League and Champions League, always we were there. We are in the final again."

Was City's performance a concern?

After Wednesday's less-than-convincing win at Burnley in the league, narrowly avoiding defeat to a Championship side might not do much to ease concerns that City are stuttering at the most crucial point in their season, but there were mitigating circumstances.

Guardiola made eight changes and initially kept most of his crucial players out of the firing line. Erling Haaland, Marc Guehi, Bernardo Silva, Jeremy Doku and Nico O'Reilly were named among the substitutes and any potential injury scares were avoided.

It was hardly surprising that City lacked rhythm in the first half with all the changes. In the second half, as Guardiola pointed out, Southampton barely got out of their own half before Azaz's screamer. "Football is unpredictable," he said.

It was notable how predictable City's comeback was. Detractors might point out that they were playing against lower league opponents, but Southampton were on a 20-game unbeaten run and defeated Arsenal and Fulham to reach the FA Cup's final four.

City's capacity to stare defeat in the face and find an extra gear is a characteristic Arsenal are chasing to possess. The mental resolve of champions can only be earned by getting over the line when the stakes are highest – and that will come in handy over the next six games.

Potential title race advantage?

Rest could become an advantage for City in the title race over the next few games with Arsenal playing twice before they even kick a ball again.

Guardiola has given his players three days off which means that when Arsenal play Atletico in Madrid in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday, the City squad will be settling down after returning for their first day back at training.

Arsenal then face Fulham on Saturday in the Premier League, two days before City return to action.

After a draining week in which City have beaten Arsenal and then Burnley in the Premier League before a draining finale against Southampton on Saturday, the importance of rest cannot be understated.

"It has been a tough week, a lot of emotions," said Guardiola. "I have learned in this country that a day off can make you play better. People say the more you train; you play better and it is completely the opposite.

"In the beginning, I trained a lot, but now, it's quality time. I need everybody ready."

That much is certainly true. As it stands, City are outsiders to win the Premier League , with Opta's supercomputer giving Arsenal a 72.44 per cent chance of lifting the trophy after they held on to beat Newcastle.