Man City 2 Liverpool 3 LIVE REACTION: Reds reach FA Cup final after ruthless Mane puts Pep’s men to sword – updates
LIVERPOOL reached the FA Cup final after an emphatic 3-2 victory over rivals Manchester City at Wembley.
The Reds put on a dominant first-half display in which Ibrahim Konate opened the scoring and Sadio Mane scored a brace.
Jack Grealish pulled one back for City at the start of the second half, and Bernardo Silva score late on, but Guardiola's men were unable to find a crucial equaliser.
- RESULT: Man City 2-3 Liverpool
- Man City XI: Steffen, Cancelo, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Jesus, Sterling
- Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Thiago, Keita, Diaz, Mane, Salah
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For the second time in as many months, it has been Liverpool's day at the national stadium.
The Reds followed up on their League Cup triumph to defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, blowing their Premier League rivals away with an electric first half showing.
It means a third Wembley date for Jurgen Klopp's men in May's showpiece, and second shot at a trophy.
Again, the opposition may be Chelsea, who take on Crystal Palace in the weekend's second semi-final tomorrow.
You can follow all the action with us here at SunSport, but until then, thanks for joining us and goodnight.
Extra! Read all about it!
Before we call it a day on Wembley Way, let's relive the dramatic afternoon we've enjoyed at the national stadium with Frankie Christou's match report of Liverpool's 3-2 semi-final success.
Said Mane left Manchester City’s Treble hopes for dead as Liverpool breathed life into their charge for the Quadruple as the Reds forward's first-half double booked Jürgen Klopp's side their place in the FA Cup final.
Guardiola defends lack of changes
Pep Guardiola has responded to criticism after he made just a single change in the second half - despite having five substitutions at his disposal.
The Man City manager introduced just Riyad Mahrez with just seven minutes to play, and he ended up laying on the second goal for Bernard Silva.
However, Guardiola has revealed that the majority of the senior players on his bench had fitness issues - including Kevin De Bruyne, who received stitches in his foot yesterday.
Riyad {Mahrez] and Rodri were fit, but the other ones had problems. Fernandinho was playing amazing, Bernardo as well. I think Gabriel [Jesus] and [Sterling] were playing good. If we'd scored the third goal, I’m pretty sure in extra time we'd have done it, but we didn’t have many options.
At the end, I didn’t want to take the risk [with Kevin De Bruyne] and lose him for the next games.
Pep Guardiola
Pep condemns disrespectful City fans
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola expressed his extreme disappointment at the behaviour of some Manchester City fans who disrupted a planned minute's silence in memory of Hillsborough's victims before this afternoon's FA Cup semi-final.
The Spaniard echoed the club's official statement that condemned the supporters, as he also offered his apologies to Liverpool.
It doesn't represent who we are and who we want to be. We stand alongside Liverpool Football Club. I want to apologise.
Pep GuardiolaFinal recognition for superb Reds
For the third season this century, Liverpool will participate in the FA Cup Final and the League Cup Final.
No other club has managed the feat as many times since the League Cup was introduced in 1960.
In 2001, the Reds lifted both trophies as well as the UEFA Cup, but they were less successful 11 years later when losing the FA Cup Final to Chelsea.
Credit: OptaJoe Twitter Klopp salutes first half heroes
A delighted Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool's first half showing is one of the best of his time at Anfield - but the German refused to get carried away by talk of an unprecedented quadruple.
The first half was maybe the best football we have ever played. We did all the right stuff. We played an incredible game in the fi
We respect the quality of City so much. It is so difficult to win against them. But because of these boys in my dressing room, we had a chance.
I can't believe this talk about the quadruple, we have so many games to play. It's all so difficult, but who cares tonight? We beat the best football team in the world and I am over the moon.
Jurgen Klopp
City struggling with their semis
For only the second time in the competition's 150 years, a club has lost three FA Cup semi-finals in successive seasons.
- Man City 2-3 Liverpool (April 2022)
- Chelsea 1-0 Man City (April 2021)
- Arsenal 2-0 Man City (July 2020)
It must be a Manchester thing. The previous side to suffer such disappointment was United during the 1960s.
Credit: @OptaJoe Twitter Full time - Man City 2-3 Liverpool
Liverpool hold on and will take their place in the FA Cup Final!
Manchester City struck back in the second half, but couldn't quite claw back their 3-0 half-time deficit.
And after Liverpool's forwards had done their bit in the opening 45, it was the turn of their defence and - particularly - goalkeeper Alisson to keep City's fightback at bay.
In the end, goals from Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva were not enough, and the Reds will compete in their first FA Cup Final in a decade.
Once again, these two clubs have served up a classic, but it's Liverpool that progress - and it means the quadruple dream is still on!
Man City 2-3 Liverpool
90+3. A chance for Sterling!
The City forward controls Grealish's thumping low pass inside the area, and turns on the spot.
The opportunity suddenly opens up for him, and unleashes a curler...
...straight into the body of Alisson.
Man City 2-3 Liverpool
90+2. City are throwing everything at their opponents now!
The ball bounces around the box, and Fernandinho smashes over.
It took a deflection though, and it will be a City corner.
They still believe.
Man City 2-3 Liverpool
90+1. But they're not there yet!!
Manchester City have a second goal through Bernardo Silva, and there are still four minutes of stoppage time to play.
It's great work from Riyad Mahrez, who battles beyond Robertson on the flank to get to the byline.
The Algerian then keeps his cool, and pulls a pass across the six-yard box for the arriving Bernardo to convert.
They couldn't, could they?
Goal! Bernardo Silva makes it 3-2!
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
90. The board goes up for four minutes of additional time.
Liverpool are almost there.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool - Liverpool substitution
89. Another change for the Reds, who bring on Curtis Jones for Thiago.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
87. Salah has a half-sight of goal, but cracks his low effort straight at Steffen.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool - Liverpool substitutions
85. Jurgen Klopp will eat up some more seconds with a double switch.
The German sends on Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino, and then congratulates Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane as he withdraws the pair from action.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
84. Sterling wins a free-kick in a promising position 22 yards from goal - and the former Liverpool man fancies it himself.
And with no De Bruyne or Mahrez on the field, who can blame him?
Probably the 30,000 City fans behind the goal, who had to take evasive action to avoid being hit by Sterling's wayward shot.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool - Man City substitution
83. City do finally make a change, although it looks as though it's enforced.
Gabriel Jesus limps away and out of the action to be replaced by Riyad Mahrez.
City will hope that the Brazilian hasn't done any lasting damage.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
82. Van Dijk attempts to pick out Salah's run with a trademark 50-yard raking pass.
He's almost successful too, but the forward is beaten to the ball by Steffen, who is a safe pair of hands - just not a safe pair of feet.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
80. Liverpool are ten minutes away from their first FA Cup Final in ten years.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
79. Grealish attempts to switch play but his crossfield pass is cut out by the head of Diaz.
It's been another impressive showing from the Colombian, who looks as though he's been part of this team for the past five years.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
77. There's very little movement on the City bench, and it's beginning to appear one of those games where Pep Guardiola shows he's as daft and stubborn as he is talented.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
75. Manchester City are having the brunt of the possession, but they cannot find a way through Liverpool right now.
The Reds are dropping into a 4-5-1 shape without the ball, and, of course, they still look threatening on the counter-attack.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool - Liverpool substitution
73. A first change sees club captain Jordan Henderson replace Naby Keita in midfield.
The England man is on to help his side see this semi-final out.
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
72. As big a chance at the other end now goes begging!
Diaz does brilliantly to control Robertson's long punt forward, and flicks it on towards Salah on the right.
Zinchenko quickly intervenes but his header towards Steffen is short and leaves the Egyptian in on goal.
Salah gets to the loose ball and dinks it over the City keeper - but also the crossbar.