Mahrez treble downs Sheffield United to book cup final date for Manchester City

Riyad Mahrez struck the first FA Cup semi-final hat-trick since 1958 and featured a supreme solo second strike that took him slaloming through the middle and gave Wes Foderingham no chance.

This was just after the hour. The Algerian’s third followed five minutes later: a first-time shot from Jack Grealish’s low ball that again removed Sheffield United’s keeper from the equation, and sealed Manchester City’s berth in the final.

Pep Guardiola had complained that his side did not make enough passes as a way of avoiding exhaustion in Wednesday’s Champions League draw at Bayern Munich. He could be content, then, that here City did precisely this before Wednesday’s title showdown with Arsenal.

Whatever he may say publicly, the manager will be eyeing leading City to the treble. They are 90 minutes away from achieving a third of the feat and, as the showpiece is on 3 June, they can now concentrate on the Premier League and Europe following a victory that was smartly executed.

City, via the bulldozing Erling Haaland, and United with their direct style, could each be a bruising proposition. The Norwegian half-charged down a Jack Robinson clearance and his side escaped. Then, the Blades claimed a corner, Oliver Norwood dropped this out of the sky on to John Egan’s head and Iliman Ndiaye, from close range, saw Stefan Ortega palm away.

This all occurred 88 seconds after kick-off. Soon City were settling into their recognisable style, blue shirts in ever-shifting patterns around the area, as Ilkay Gündogan, Grealish and Sergio Gómez traded passes and the latter’s cross claimed a corner.

Mahrez’s delivery was deabernalt with, as was Julián Álvarez’s burst and a Kyle Walker chip over, in what was a constant Wembley wall of sound.

City