Mahrez treble fires Man City into FA Cup final

Riyad Mahrez fired Manchester City into the FA Cup final as the Algerian's hat-trick sealed a 3-0 win against Sheffield United at Wembley on Saturday.

Mahrez's superb display dispatched the Championship underdogs, ensuring City ended their run of three successive FA Cup semi-final defeats.

The 32-year-old shattered United's resistance with a penalty late in the first half and completed his treble with two clinical finishes after the interval.

City's opponents in the Wembley final on June 3 will be the winners of Sunday's semi-final between Manchester United and Brighton.

Pep Guardiola's side are back in the final for the first time since 2019, when they won the FA Cup for the only time in the Spaniard's reign.

They are the first team to reach the final without conceding a single goal since Everton in 1966.

"It is the fourth season in a row we are in the semi-finals. We could not win in the past but today we performed," Guardiola said.

"We cannot forget we were in Munich three days ago. It could be hard. We had to perform well and we did it. All the guys who came in were perfect.

"I'm really happy for the club to be back in the final after many years."

On Mahrez's match-winning contribution, Guardiola added: "Riyad is grumpy with me all the time when he doesn't play. He makes me notice.

"When he plays, he is there, that is most important. He is a big-stage player. I'm so satisfied for Riyad."

City have won 11 of their last 12 games in all competitions and remain on course to win a memorable treble as they chase Arsenal in the Premier League and face a Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

"We are far away," Guardiola of the treble. "But after many years, winning so many titles, still we are here one more year in the