Manchester City booked a place in a fourth consecutive FA Cup final after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Southampton FC on Saturday.

A late strike from Nico Gonzalez sealed the win for Pep Guardiola’s side, capping a frantic finish after the match remained goalless for much of the contest.

Despite dominating possession and creating multiple chances, City were frustrated for long periods by a resilient Southampton side, whose defensive discipline kept the Premier League leaders at bay. Goalkeeper Daniel Peretz played a key role, producing several saves to deny City’s attackers.

Guardiola opted to rotate his squad, with key players such as Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne starting on the bench, but his side still struggled to convert their dominance into goals.

The match sprang to life in the 79th minute when Southampton took a surprise lead through Finn Azaz, who fired a long-range effort into the top corner to put the Championship side on the brink of a major upset.

City responded quickly, drawing level just minutes later as substitute Jeremy Doku saw his effort deflect off a defender and into the net.

With extra time looming, Gonzalez produced the decisive moment, unleashing a powerful strike from distance in the 87th minute to complete the turnaround and send City into the final.

The victory keeps Guardiola’s side on course for a domestic treble and extends their strong record in the competition. They will face either Chelsea FC or Leeds United in the final at Wembley.

For Southampton, the defeat ends an impressive unbeaten run, though attention now shifts back to their push for promotion from the Championship.