Pep Guardiola Speaks On Man City's Potential Treble Win After Victory Over Sheffield United In The FA Cup Semi-final.

Manchester City kept their dreams of winning the Treble alive with a 3-0 win over Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.

Manager Pep Guardiola made six changes from the side that progressed past Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek.

Championship promotion hopefuls Sheffield United began the game at the Wembley stadium brightly and frustrated City for most of the first half.

Things could all have been so different had Iliman Ndiaye found the back of the net in the opening minutes. The ball dropped to the Blades' top scorer from a corner inside the six-yard box with just a minute on the clock but he shot straight at goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. 

It wasn't until the 43rd minute that Man City made the break though when Bernardo Silva was felled in the box and Riyad Mahrez stepped up to fire City ahead having converted the resulting penalty. 

Sheffield United began the second half with a little more attacking intent but were made to pay as Mahrez struck twice in quick succession to take the game away from them. 

Just after the hour mark (61 mins), the Algerian picked up the ball on the halfway line with a solo run and charged at the Blades' defence. As he approached the edge of the box Mahrez shifted the ball onto his left foot and coolly slotted past Wes Fodderingham in goal. 

Five minutes later Mahrez completed his hat trick when he converted a neat cut-back cross from Jack Grealish to make it a 3-0 win.

Riyad Mahrez became the first City player to score a hattrick in Wembley, and the first player to score a hat-trick in an FA Cup semi-final since Manchester United’s Alex Dawson managed the feat in 1958.

"We really want to work hard in every competition going,"... Mahrez said.

"We're in the final of the FA Cup, which is amazing. Now we have to concentrate on the league and the next game against Arsenal.

"We have a very good squad and a very good team. We have to keep going."

The result sees Man City cruise into their first FA Cup final since 2019, after exiting at the semi-final stage for the last three seasons.

Guardiola's treble-chasing side are yet to concede a goal in the FA Cup this season, as they reach the competition final for a 12th time in history, where they could face neighbors Man United in what would be the first all-Manchester clash in the showpiece.

Erik ten Hag's shaky side are up against an in-form Brighton & Hove Albion in the second semi-final clash at Wembley on Sunday afternoon.

On the other hand, Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom was proud of the display of his boys, as they now turn their attention to Wednesday night, where a win against West Brom will confirm his side’s promotion to the Premier League.

“There is a lot of frustration there. But I saw a team go right to the end,” Heckingbottom said.

“We need to understand and everyone to a man we need to be better, prepare better, execute better. We didn’t score when we had the first moment of the game and that is critical against the best.

“We have got ourselves in a position now and we know what we need to do.

“There are big lessons from that game, if we get the points we want on Wednesday night and get to where we want to be, that’s the benchmark.

“Having seen the fans today I am determined and focused to get promotion for everyone at the club and will fight for the three points on Wednesday so that we do it at Bramall Lane.”

Guardiola will be delighted that his side avoided a potential banana skin as they comfortably progressed to the FA Cup final.

Man City are potentially now as few as 12 games away from a remarkable Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble and become the 10the European side to achieve that feat, and just the only second English team after Man United in 1999 to do that.

They host Premier League leaders Arsenal on Wednesday night in what seems to be a title deciding clash, they trail by five points but boast of two games in hand remaining favourite to defend their Premier League title. They also have a Champions League semi-final against the reigning champions Real Madrid on the horizon.

Speaking after the FA Cup semi-final win, Guardiola has been quick to dismiss any talk of the Treble - again calling it "far away"

"Before the final of the Champions League we will start to talk of the Treble. Look how far away it is. We are far, far away. How many times in this amazing country have Trebles been done? How many years? How many teams?... Asked the Spaniard.

"It is one. Once. Our neighbours did it in how many centuries? Am I excited about the Treble? Not at all."

"I'll talk to you about it after we have won the FA Cup and Premier League."

Guardiola also joked that Man United fans do not need to be scared about his side winning the treble this season;

“They don’t have to be scared, we are neighbours, the neighbours are always nice to each other,” he said.

“We are far away, people cannot believe that we are far away with this kind of situation. It is OK for people to discuss it for a funny moment, but the reality is different. The reality is to come here and perform.”

Question:

Man City have won nine major trophies since Guardiola took charge in 2016. Will they make it 12 in seven seasons by winning the treble this season?