Manchester City, the reigning FA Cup holders, secured a spot in the semi-finals and are set to clash with Chelsea in what promises to be an electrifying encounter at Wembley. Meanwhile, Manchester United's remarkable victory over Liverpool has earned them a semi-final against second-tier Coventry City.
The draw for the last-four injected excitement into the competition, with the possibility of a rematch of last season's thrilling all-Manchester final looming large. City emerged victorious in that encounter with a narrow 2-1 win.
City's path to the semi-finals was relatively smooth as they comfortably dispatched Newcastle 2-0 on Saturday, reaffirming their pursuit of a historic treble.
On the other hand, Chelsea faced a tougher challenge, needing two late goals in stoppage time to overcome Championship contenders Leicester City 4-2 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
United's journey to the semi-finals was marked by a dramatic comeback against Liverpool, with Amad Diallo's last-minute strike sealing a pulsating 4-3 victory in extra time. Their opponents, Coventry, stunned Wolves 3-2 with two stoppage-time goals in a thrilling encounter at Molineux.
United manager Erik ten Hag acknowledged the challenge posed by Coventry, emphasizing the need for his team to perform at their best.
"To go to the final, we have to win against Coventry, we will have to play at our best. We saw that Coventry have great spirit, a great mentality. We will prepare our best," ten Hag remarked.
Coventry, under the guidance of former United striker Mark Robins, have a rich history in the competition, famously clinching the FA Cup in 1987. Their journey this season has captured imaginations, and they will be eager to upset the odds once again.
The semi-final draw sets the stage for an enthralling weekend of football at Wembley on April 20-21, with fans eagerly anticipating the outcome of these high-stakes encounters.
(Inputs from AFP)
