Manchester City

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Manchester City goalscorer Rico Lewis has been speaking to ITV after opening the scoring at Wembley: "I am over the moon with the goal, it's a position I like to play. Today was a tough game but we showed a different side to our game where we can survive and get through it.

"We have so many midfielders who can keep the ball and that allows the front men to have more freedom."

On what winning the FA Cup would mean: "A lot. We showed character today, and this season we have shown character. It's not been smooth sailing but we have picked ourselves up and shown we are a top team.

"We have top players and we can get through tough situations. Now we are on the up, we can take it into next season."

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Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic has been speaking to ITV following the result: "It was a deserved win for us. From the first minute, we scored the goal with Rico [Lewis]. They are a strong team and they had a few chances, but it is a deserved win and we are happy for another final."

On what has changed now that Manchester City are unbeaten in eight games: "We have found ourselves again. The team is getting stronger and everyone is 100% focused.

"A lot of players came back very strong. When we are all back, we are a strong team. This season has not been how we wanted, but we are in another FA Cup final and in the top four [in the Premier League]."

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Manchester City have qualified for their 14th FA Cup final in their history. Four of those have come under current manager Pep Guardiola, with only Chelsea (5) reaching more finals in the competition since he took charge of the club.

With his second-minute opener, Rico Lewis (20 years and 157 days) became the youngest player to score for Manchester City at Wembley since Steve MacKenzie in May 1981 (19 years and 172 days) in the FA Cup final against Tottenham.

Josko Gvardiol has scored 11 goals for Manchester City across all competitions, the joint-most by a defender for a Premier League club since the start of last season alongside Newcastle United's Fabian Schar (11).

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Nottingham Forest's performance

What did you make of Man City's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

The second FA Cup semi-final of the weekend takes place on Sunday live from Wembley and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Nottingham Forest v Manchester City (16:30)

Listen to the match on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra here

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Pep Guardiola's team selection will be absolutely crucial here.

Both of Manchester City's goals against Aston Villa on Tuesday came from their players being prepared to run at defenders - firstly Omar Marmoush and then Jeremy Doku, who had started the game on the bench.

But Pep appears to be very cautious at the moment, and has not been using his out-and-out wingers, Doku or Savinho, very much because he wants to try to control the middle of the pitch.

Doku and Savinho both started when Forest beat City at the beginning of March, which was City's last defeat, seven games ago, but it's unlikely that they will both start at Wembley.

That does not make this tie any easier to call, though.

Forest bounced back from a couple of defeats with a win over Tottenham on Monday, which was a huge result for their top-five hopes, and we know the way they are set up to counter-attack can cause City problems.

I am not just saying this because Forest were my boyhood team, but I want anyone but City to win the FA Cup this season.

I've got nothing against City but it would be a great story if any of the other three teams won it because they have either not won anything for so long or, in Crystal Palace's case, they have never won a major trophy at all.

Despite that, I just have a feeling that City are going to put in a good performance here, and earn the right to reach their third straight FA Cup final.

As much I hate to say it, I am expecting Pep to find a way to win, the same way they did against Everton and Aston Villa - although I hope I am wrong. My predictions are so bad at the moment, there is a good chance I will be.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Pep Guardiola says that winning the FA Cup would be a "good" way for Kevin de Bruyne to end his Manchester City career.

De Bruyne recently announced he will be leaving the club in the summer after a decade.

Speaking before City's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Wembley on Sunday (16:30 BST), Guardiola said: "He has proved [himself by] the amount of minutes he has played since he announced that it is the last month for him at Manchester City.

"Yeah, it would be good."

The 33-year-old midfielder said this week that it was the club's decision not to renew his contract beyond this season.

Responding to this in the same news conference, Guardiola said: "I said the reason why."

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Earlier, we asked you to name the current Manchester City player from a series of clues.

The correct answer is Jack Grealish.

Joe Nelson
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Wembley (kick-off 16:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Rodri's influence off the pitch is something Guardiola appreciates: "I love that. I love that. The guy doesn't play and I allow him to be a manager. He will help the guys there and it is the way we create a team. It is something special when the guys who are injured and don't play, they help each other. I like it a lot."

• Erling Haaland is back in individual training, but Guardiola is not sure of a return date yet: "He is getting better and he is injured and been involved [off the pitch] as well. He feels better, but I don't know when [he will be back]. The injury is not a comfortable one, I would say. He is not a small guy, but he is getting better. We will see in the next days how he is."

• The City boss has great respect for Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo: "He has been incredible - qualifying for Europa League with Wolves and now with Nottingham Forest. He has done a really good job. The guys have good skills, and I admire that they defend well and have a good spirit. They have the transition with top, top players up front."

• Guardiola said City must overcome the fans of Forest as well as the players to reach the FA Cup final: "We have a serious and tough, tough rival. The Nottingham Forest people and fans, it is a long time since they have played the semi-final of the FA Cup, but for many years we have been there in the competition."

• Despite the struggles the club have had in 2024-25, he said City could be in a worse predicament: "Too many matches this season have not been good. We will avoid bigger damage for the club. From my point of view, the biggest thing in the season is the Premier League. The FA Cup keeps us safe. But the Premier League dictates how good your season has been, and it has not been good - but it could be worse."

Follow all of Friday's news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Manchester City have picked up two significant results in the race to finish in the Premier League top-five and are now strong favourites to compete in the Champions League next season.

But it has been a difficult campaign overall for Pep Guardiola's men, with their four-year hold on the top-flight trophy possibly coming to an end on Sunday.

City can, though, retrieve a modicum of satisfaction if they manage to reach a third straight FA Cup final, but will Guardiola feel happy with that or will the campaign remain a disappointment?

The Spaniard faces the cameras from 12:30 BST.

Guess the current Manchester City player from these three clues:

• City broke the British transfer record to sign me.

• I played for my country at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.

• I started the 2023 Champions League final win against Inter Milan.

Come back to this page later on Friday for the answer

Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, 33, will not play at the Fifa Club World Cup in June as he doesn't want the risk of injury jeopardising his search for a new club. (Daily Star, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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We asked for your views on whether winning the FA Cup or qualifying for the Champions League would mean more to Manchester City this season.

Here are some of your comments:

Brian: Champions League qualification ensures the best players in the world will want to play for Man City. It provides a huge financial boost for Man City and success in the tournament ensures a financial reserve for player investment. We love the FA Cup but we need the Champions League.

Gene: The cup would be great but doesn't make up for the lacklustre season and early exit from the Champions League. Qualifying is definitely more important as well as the building of momentum and confidence to finish the season and moving towards the Club World Cup.

Ken: Questions like this are not very meaningful and do not provide accurate information. Winning the FA Cup or qualification for the Champions League? Man City of course will pursue both goals. The press commentaries keep battering Pep Guardiola and the team for their performances, which is also meaningless since the coach and the team are giving their hearts on the field. It doesn't matter how the critical pundits are underscoring City's achievements this season. Other teams would love to be in their position this season.

Bernard: Getting in the Champions League is better than an FA Cup win.

Rob: From when I first had a season ticket in the early 1980s, Man City were always everyone's favourite 'other' team as they yo-yoed between divisions. We saw Manchester United dominate domestically and never threaten to win anything other than a Second Division Championship and nearly a third-level cup. I saw nothing more than a sprinkling of quarter finals for 30 years and a surprise one-off European campaign for "fair play". Seven FA Cup semi-finals on the spin is amazing, and four Carabao Cups in a row too. Taking the Premier League out of the equation, the cups have been brilliant for us in recent years.

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker says he expected Oscar Bobb to be prominent in Pep Guardiola's plans this season.

Walker - currently on loan at AC Milan - told his BBC Sounds podcast of the freak injury Bobb suffered in training at a time when the talented 21-year-old had momentum.

Bobb fractured his leg in August having made two Premier League appearances.

"I was there in the training session when he did it," Walker recalled.

"I was devastated for him. You know, one of them injuries where no one's around him. It wasn't a tackle. It wasn't someone being daft and stupid and a late one. It was a freak incident that happened. So, yes, he was flying at the start of the season. I was watching the pre-season games. The manager was so impressed with him.

"I definitely thought that when I came back and you get the feeling from what Pep's feeling, you kind of knew that he was in his plans to play. But, I think this will make him a bigger and better player. Setbacks are sometimes good because I think it builds you as a character and builds you as a football player, because not everything in life - and definitely in football - goes swimmingly well all the time."

Listen to The Kyle Walker Podcast here

Aston Villa have held internal discussions about a potential move for 33-year-old Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who will leave Etihad Stadium this summer. (Sky Sports), external

Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid are among the clubs interested in Bournemouth's 21-year-old left-back Milos Kerkez. (Sky Sports), external

Finally, Nottingham Forest and Bayer Leverkusen will target 22-year-old Manchester City midfielder James McAtee if City move for 25-year-old attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White or 21-year-old attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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