MORE SILVA TO BE HAD
Bernardo strikes it lucky – twice – but there’s nothing fortunate about another Wembley semi-final for City
PEP GUARDIOLA has been to Wembley so many times he might have to start paying rent.
Manchester City marched untroubled into the seventh FA Cup semi-final of Guardiola’s eight-year reign to emphasise once again why their fans refer to the national stadium as ‘Etihad South’.
The Blues are the only club to reach the last four for six successive seasons in the competition’s 152-year history.
They have lifted the famous old pot twice during that time.
Throw in the four successive Carabao Cup triumphs a few years ago and it is clear to see that their manager has a bit of an obsession with the place.
With the Champions League Final at Wembley in early June, you can be sure he is planning to get another view from the Royal Box.
Guardiola (below) lifted the European Cup there as both a player and as coach of Barcelona.
Newcastle will claim their hosts enjoyed a couple of healthy dollops of luck, with Bernardo Silva’s two first-half goals both deflected past keeper Martin Dubravka.
But City have now won 16 of their last 17 games against the Magpies at the Etihad – and this was their 10th on the bounce.
Toon boss Eddie Howe’s game plan of trying to use the pace of Alexander Isak on the counter-attack produced some promising moments, but was never going to be enough to trouble a team now unbeaten in 22 matches.
Pundit Jamie Carragher was asking again during the week how City can continue to post record revenues in their annual accounts.
Perhaps the fact that they earned £300million in prize money alone from last season’s Treble and have won five of the last six Premier League titles might have something to do with it. Lifting the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League in 2011 provided the springboard for City’s dominance. Newcastle’s Saudi owners have similar ambitions, but are hamstrung by financial regulations railroaded through by the old guard, which came too late to halt City’s march. The last time Newcastle lifted the trophy they beat City in the 1955 final. Jackie Milburn scored after 45 seconds and City played more than an hour with 10 men after full-back Jimmy Meadows was carried off in the days before substitutes. This tie was done and dusted within the first half-hour. City appeared to be passing the ball without any real purpose in the 13th minute when they suddenly went through the gears with Rodri’s pass to Silva. His right foot is usually best employed for standing on, but he tried his luck and hit the jackpot with a shot that flew off Dan Burn’s leg. Fortune favoured Silva again when he collected Ruben Dias’ pass and took aim with his left, this time the shot flicking off Sven Botman’s forehead, making Dubravka appear like he had dived the wrong way.
Newcastle could have given themselves a lifeline just before the break when Burn nodded Jacob Murphy’s cross into Isak’s path eight yards out, but when the Swedish striker dug out his halfvolley, he saw keeper Stefan Ortega produce a fine save.
Isak also got a sniff in the second half – only for the danger to be snuffed out by Manuel Akanji.
For the rest of the evening, it was a case of the home side keeping the visitors at bay while Erling Haaland tried his best to land a final blow.
He had one header blocked in the first half and saw an effort flash wide after the break, following a dash from halfway.
His goals will still be needed another day.