Manchester City cruise past Nottingham Forest to reach FA Cup final

Manchester City booked their place in a third successive FA Cup final with a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s side struck early through Rico Lewis before Josko Gvardiol sealed the semi-final win with a second-half header. City will now face Crystal Palace at Wembley on May 17, after Palace defeated Aston Villa 3-0 in Saturday’s other semi-final.

It will be City’s 14th FA Cup final appearance and their chance to lift the trophy for the eighth time, and the third under Guardiola. Last season, City lost to Manchester United after beating them in the 2023 final.

City, who sit fourth in the Premier League with four games remaining, are aiming to salvage a turbulent season by winning the FA Cup and securing Champions League qualification. They will be heavy favourites against Palace, having beaten them 5-2 earlier in April.

Guardiola’s team started fast, Lewis firing into the bottom corner after just two minutes following a slick passing move. City’s pressing was relentless, with Forest struggling to escape their own half and failing to record a single shot in the first 45 minutes.

Nuno Espirito Santo introduced Anthony Elanga at halftime, and the winger missed a golden opportunity before Gvardiol’s powerful header doubled City’s advantage in the 51st minute. Despite Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi both hitting the woodwork, Forest could not recover.

City’s victory keeps alive their hopes of avoiding a first trophyless season since 2016-17.

(Source: AFP)