Manchester City secured their place in the FA Cup semifinals with a convincing 3-1 victory over Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium, while Aston Villa cruised into the final four with a commanding 3-0 win against Preston North End at Villa Park.
Both matches showcased the attacking prowess and tactical discipline of the Premier League sides as they dispatched their Championship opponents with relative ease.
For Manchester City, the afternoon began with an early scare when Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke capitalized on a defensive lapse to fire the Cherries ahead in the 12th minute. The goal stunned the home crowd, but Pep Guardiola’s men quickly regained their composure.
Erling Haaland, ever the predator in the box, leveled the score just before the half-hour mark with a clinical finish from a Nico O’Reilly assist. Nico again set up Omar Marmoush in the 64th minute to put the Citizens ahead.
The victory means Manchester City are the first side in men’s FA Cup history to reach the semi-finals in seven consecutive seasons and they have done that under Pep Guardiola.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa delivered a masterclass against Preston North End, leaving no doubt about their superiority. Unai Emery’s side took the lead on the hour mark through Marcus Rashford, who doubled the lead four minutes later from the spot.
Jacob Ramsey added Villa’s third goal in the 71st minute to sealed the victory.
With these results, Manchester City and Aston Villa join the ranks of the FA Cup semifinalists, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying conclusion to the competition.
City’s blend of relentless pressing and lethal finishing will make them favorites, but Villa’s resurgence under Emery suggests they could pose a serious challenge.
The draw for the semifinals, scheduled for later this week, will reveal their next opponents as both teams look to book a trip to Wembley and a shot at the historic trophy.
