Manchester City vs Sheffield United live online: Mahrez hat trick, score, stats and updates | FA Cup

Manchester City continue their treble charge

Pep Guardiola's side secured passage to the FA Cup final with a comfortable 3-0 win against Sheffield United. Riyad Mahrez starred with a hat trick. 

It 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' star man from a corner with just a minute on the clock but his jabbed effort was easily smothered by Stefan Ortega. 

City dominated the ball in the first half but it wasn't until the 40th minute that they made the break though. Bernardo Silva was felled in the box and Mahrez stepped up to convert. 

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 the Algerian picked up the ball on the halfway line 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. 

Just minutes later Mahrez completed his hat trick when he converted a neat cut-back from Jack Grealish. 

Sandwiched between a Champions League tie with Bayern Munich and a crucial Premier League clash with Arsenal, today's semi-final could have been difficult for City. Guardiola will be delighted that his side avoided a potential banana skin and comfortably progressed to the FA Cup final.

Riyad Mahrez, hat trick hero

The Algerian was one of the six changes made by Pep Guardiola from the side that faced Bayern Munich. He has fallen out of Pep's starting XI in recent weeks but he showed his quality at Wembley today with a brilliant hat trick. 

The pick of the goals was his second. The Algerian won the ball on the halfway line and charged at the Sheffield United defence, dropping a shoulder, and slotting the ball past Wes Fodderingham. 

Man City extend perfect FA Cup streak

Today's 3-0 victory over Sheffield United was Manchester City's fifth win out of five in this year's competition. Even more incredibly, City have made it all the way to the FA Cup final without conceding a single goal in those five matches. 

Is their name on the trophy?

FULL TIME

Manchester City book their place in the FA Cup final with a comfortable 3-0 victory over SHeffield United. 

Three minutes of added time

Not long to go now. 

Riyad Mahrez awarded the Man of the Match award over the stadium tannoy system. 

Chance! Julien Alvarez

The World Cup winner has had a pretty quiet afternoon but found a pocket of space in behind the United backline there. He charged onto a through ball but his left-footed shot skips just wide of the post. 

Former Sheffield United player Kyle Walker nonchalantly shoulder-charges Max Lowe off the ball to the cheers of the City support.

The atmosphere is picking up gain now as we approach the final minutes, much of it coming from the red and white half of Wembley Stadium. 

It's gone a little flat in Wembley as Manchester City cruise to a comfortable win and the FA Cup semi-final. Nevertheless, the Sheffield United end looks as packed now as it has been all day. 

City continue to push for another goal. Two minutes of the regulation remaining. 

A great ball forward finds Chris Basham in space on Sheffield United's right flank. He twists and turns before collapsing into a slightly bemused Aymeric Laporte. 

Calls for a penalty are, quite rightly, dismissed. 

Lovely run from Sergio Gomez, skipping down the left flank past two defenders. He darts into the box and attempts to float a ball across, but it's cut out by a Sheffield United head. 

City pick up the ball once again on the edge of the ball and fire off a series of intricate one-touch passes between tiring Sheffield United players. Not much more than ten minutes remaining here. 

Kalvin Philips (Ilkay Gundogan)

Pep makes another change, most likely with an eye on Wednesday's Arsenal match. 

Sheffield United are sticking to the task here and get a little joy as Iliman and McBurnie combine in the City half. The Blades win a free-kick but the ball into the box is cleared fairly comfortably by Pep Guardiola's side. 

Cola Palmer flies forward on the break but is dragged down by Norwood. 

Mahrez makes FA Cup history

What a day for RIyad Mahrez. The City winger's brace makes him the first player in FA Cup history to bag a semi-final hat trick at Wembley Stadium.

He's still on the pitch, too, and you wouldn't bet against him adding to that tally in the final 20 minutes. 

Double change for City

Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish are withdrawn. Phil Foden and Cole Palmer replace the duo. 

Heartbreak for Sheffield United as two quick-fire goals from Riyad Mahrez take the game, and a place in the final, away from them. 

A really special goal from Riyad Mahrez there. Sheffield United have looked to impose themselves a little more this half and have played a bit higher.

But with elite opponents the margin for error is painfully slim and Max Lowe was made to pay for dallying on the ball. The Blades' left back lost the ball to Mahrez and the Algerian drove 50 yards to score his second. 

Oli McBurnie (Daniel Jebbbison)

The young forward is replaced just shy of the hour mark. Plenty of effort exerted but his only meaningful contribution was the mistimed tackle that led to the City penalty. 

Chance! Haaland

Well, maybe 'chance' is over-selling it a bit, but whenever the ball approaches the Norwegian in the box you get the sense of a real and present danger. 

This time a deflected shot from Gomez squirts across the Blades' box and Haaland charges in to connect with the loose ball. He's just about levered away from the ball by a recovering Max Lowe and Sheff Utd claim the goal kick. 

Sheffield United are living a little dangerously here. First a misplaced header back to Fodderingham results in a City corner, and then a Gundogan strike from the edge of the box strikes Akanji on the way to goal. 

The Blades manage to see off a little spell of City pressure and win a goal kick, but Fodderingham just punts to ball back to the Sky Blues. City back in possession, as they have been for much of the opening ten minutes this half. 

There's definitely been a bit of a shift in the Sheffield United game plan this half as they look to put some pressure on Pep Guardiola's team. City are still enjoying the vast majority of the possession but the Blades are pushing up a little higher and looking to pinch the ball in the midfield. 

As the game goes on this will, of course, leave gaps and they will have to be hyper-aware of City's attacking firepower. 

Second half underway at Wembley

Can the Championship side turn it around against this imperious City side? The Blades have 45 minutes to get themselves back into it

Will Iliman get his chance this half?

We haven't seen much of Sheffield United star Iliman Ndiaye since he missed a great early chance. But the Blades know that they need to push a bit more in this half and Iliman might see a bit more of the ball. 

Those in red and white at Wembley will certainly hope so...

City finally convert possession into a goal

Pep Guardiola's side dominated the ball for the opening 45 minutes at Wembley Stadium but really struggled to make any clear openings. The Blades' 3-5-2 formation allowed them to flood the central areas and City found it hard going in the first half of this FA Cup semi-final. 

As the stats show, for all their possession Manchester City failed to engineer a big chance before being handed a penalty for a rash tackle in the box. 

And that's the half

Pep's team go into the break with a one-goal lead thanks to a penalty from Riyad Mahrez. The Blades have acquitted themselves well in the face of relentless City pressure but a slightly careless challenge from striker Daniel Jebbison could prove costly. 

Manchester City are having a little more joy now. Silva gets into space on the right flank and whips a ball across the face of the ball, just missing Alvarez arriving late. 

Sheffield United will be eager to get to the break now. 

PENALTY! Man City

With five to go until the half Jebbison dives in on Bernardo Silva in the box. It looked like a clear penalty, Haaland steps up to take. 

Manchester City have enjoyed 81% of the possession so far and Pep's side have been camped in the Sheffield United half for much of the game. But without Kevin de Bruyne there is a slight sense that's nobody is willing to take a chance with a defence-splitting pass.

Meanwhile, the Blade mount a rare charge forward on the break with Illiman and Jebbison combining. City get numbers back quickly and snuff it out. 

Ten to go in the first half, all square.

As we approach the half hour mark at Wembley things are going pretty much to plan for Sheffield United defensively. Manchester City have had the vast majority of the ball but have been restricted to just a few speculative efforts from distance. 

So far, City haven't managed to get in behind the Blades' backline and Paul Heckingbottom's side have actually had the best chance of the game with Iliman's early effort. 

Both sets of fans are in good voice and we've got a fascinating game of cat and mouse unfolding in Wembley. 

Chance! Man City

Julian Alvarez has a pop now! His effort is on target and Wes Fodderingham is called into action to palm the ball wide. 

Maybe it'll take something special from distance to make a breakthrough here. 

Chance! Man City

After a number of City players turn down opportunities to shoot from distance, Riyad Mahrez finally lets fly from the edge of the box. The Algerian makes some space on the right of the penalty box but his whipped shot is wide of the far post. 

Manchester City, perhaps anticipating Sheffield United's resolute defending, are looking to play down the wings wherever possible. Jack Grealish is getting plenty of the ball on the left flank, zigging and zagging toward the Blades backline. 

Grealish has been one of City's best performers in the past few months and his talents may be required to break down the Sheff Utd defence. 

Haaland strike ruled out

Quarter of an hour into the game Erling Haaland gets his first sight of goal. The big Norwegian muscles a defender off the ball 25 yards from the Sheffield United goal and fires into the bottom corner from distance. 

But the whistle had already gone, free kick to the Blades. 

A reminder of Haaland's devastating finishing, as if we needed one. 

Manuel Akanji (Man City)

The City defender is down holding his head after a clash in the Sheffield United box, but is fine to continue after a brief pause. 

City in control but Sheffield Utd standing strong

After that early foray forward from the Blades, City have settled into their rhythm on a sunny afternoon at Wembley. Guardiola's side have dominated the ball and sought to work it from side to side but haven't found a way through United's resolute shape.

Corner for City after a long spell of possession... 

Youngster Sergio Gomez seems to be playing in the inverted full back role for City today, taking over from John Stones in that hybrid position. He's starting off on the left of the defence but drifting inside to partner Ilkay Gundogan in the middle when City have the ball. Which is fairly often. 

Further ahead, Jack Grealish is starting on the left and Bernardo Silva on the right, with Julian Alvarez behind Erling Haaland up front. 

Chance! Sheff Utd

What a roar from the Blades fans as their side forces a save from Stefan Ortego in the opening minutes. It came from a dangerous Norwood corner not cleared; set pieces could be vital for Sheffield United today.

Peeeeep....

And we're underway in this FA Cup semi-final

The teams are out!

We're nearly ready for kick-off at Wembley Stadium with both Manchester City and Sheffield United now huddled together on the pitch; City in sky blue, the Blades in red and shite stripes. 

Ilkay Gundogan has the captain's armband today and he plays alongside Bernado Silva in midfield. City have Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez up top...

Final preparations at Wembley Stadium

Manchester City come into today's game as strong favourites to book a place in the FA Cup final, but do so after a trip to Bayern Munich midweek. Pep Guardiola has made six changes from the Champions League starting XI, with Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, Sergio Gomez, Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez all entering the side. 

There's undoubted quality in the players coming into the City team, but will those changes disrupt their play. Sheffield United will have to hope that they can can City a little cold after their European exploits. 

Blades boss praises world class Haaland

"You have to acknowledge [Erling Haaland] is a world-class striker who lives and breathes goals, but with that comes a structure to how he wants to play."

"It’s one thing spotting it but another dealing with it!"

Incredible scenes in London

Sheffield United fans are making their presence known in the capital, taking over Box Park Wembley ahead of today's semi-final. The Blades have been in brilliant form in the league this season and will be confident of securing an upset against Manchester City. 

Haaland closes in on 50 goals this season

The Norwegian striker has been a revelation for Manchester City this season and has already broken the club's record for most goals in a single campaign. His first 41 games in a City shirt have returned an astonishing 48 goals. 

Could he reach the big 5-0 at Wembley today?

And here's how Pep Guardiola's side line up...

Manchester CIty are still in the hunt for a treble this year and Guardiola is taking few chances for this FA Cup semi-final. Erling Haaland starts alongside Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish and Julian Alvarez in a star-studded front line. 

In goal, Ortega Moreno replaces Ederson. 

Here's the Sheffield United team...

Manager Paul Heckingbottom has gone for a strong side for the trip to Wembley with star man Iliman Ndiaye partnering England youth international Daniel Jebbison up front. 

The only disappointment for the Blades will be the absence of Tommy Doyle and James McAtee, the on-loan City youngsters who are unable to play against their parent club. 

Man City have been imperious in the FA Cup

Pep Guardiola's side have made it to the semi-final of the FA Cup without conceding a single goal in their four previous ties. Most impressively, they have put away league leaders Arsenal and thrashed Chelsea 4-0 during the course of their run. 

Will the Blades be the first to put City to the sword?

Sheffield Utd fans out in force at Wembley

The Blades have had a brilliant season and are on the verge of securing their return to the Premier League under manager Paul Heckingbottom. Today's trip to Wembley Stadium will be something of a free hit for the team against an impressive City side, but the fans will be sure to make the most of the day. 

City boss worries about post-UCL fatigue

What time is Manchester City vs Sheffield United?

All eyes will be on Wembley Stadium, London this afternoon as we find out the first team in the 2022/23 FA Cup final. City will go into the game as favourites, but with a crucial title-deciding clash against Arsenal to come next week, will Pep Guardiola's men be distracted?

Wherever you are in the world you can follow all the action right here!

Manchester City vs Sheffield United: Live!

Hello and welcome to AS USA, where we'll be bringing you live minute-by-minute coverage of Manchester City vs Sheffield United. 

Pep Guardiola's men come into the game on an imperious run of form and they eased past Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. 

City are still in the hunt for a treble, but opponents Sheffield United have had a pretty impressive season of their own. Paul Heckingbottom's team are close to securing a return to the Premier League.