Fatigue concerns Guardiola ahead of FA Cup semi-final

MANCHESTER : After four successive FA Cup semi-final exits Pep Guardiola hopes his Manchester City players can shake off the mental fatigue of a congested run of fixtures to break that pattern against Sheffield United on Saturday.

City are once again chasing silverware on multiple fronts having reached the semi-finals of the Champions League by beating Bayern Munich 4-1 on aggregate on Wednesday.

They also face a potential Premier League title decider against Arsenal on Wednesday.

First, however, Guardiola is only focused on beating a Sheffield United side on the verge of promotion back to the top flight.

"Hopefully, we can have it. Last season we arrived here, last three or four years, and we didn't perform well," Guardiola told reporters on Friday. "One reason is the fatigue.

"This year we have it. The Champions League quarter-final is so draining and we have to recover. Every season I have the feeling we're not physically ready, hopefully this time we are."

City lost to Liverpool in last season's FA Cup final so Sheffield United appears to be an easier path to the May showdown against Brighton & Hove Albion or Manchester United, but Guardiola disagrees.

"No, I don't have that feeling. Sheffield when I saw yesterday when we land from Munich, they play quite similar to when Chris Wilder (was there) in that incredible first season," Guardiola said. "They are one or two games away from being promoted. It will be an extremely difficult game tomorrow.

"The qualities they have, the set pieces, linking in the channels, they are so aggressive in the channels. We will have to be there tomorrow at 4.45pm to be in the final."

City will be without left back Nathan Ake who suffered a hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw in Munich but Phil Foden