LONDON: Manchester City will face Crystal Palace in their third successive FA Cup final after cruising to a 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest at Wembley on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s side took an early lead through Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol’s second-half goal sealed a comfortable semi-final success.

City can look forward to a showdown with Palace at Wembley on May 17 after the Eagles won 3-0 against Aston Villa in the other semi-final on Saturday.

Their 14th FA Cup final appearance gives City a chance to win the com­petition for the eighth time and the third since Guardiola arrived in 2016.

City lost to Manchester United in last season’s FA Cup final after beating their cross-town rivals in the 2023 showpiece.

Guardiola is hoping to salvage a turbulent season by lifting the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League via a top five finish in the Premier League.

It was City’s 28th trip to Wembley since it reopened in 2007 and just Forest’s second.

So it was no surprise the Forest hordes who made the trip were far more vocal as kick-off approached, while swathes of empty seats stood out in the City sections.

But it wasn’t long before City’s fans made themselves heard as they stormed into the lead in the second minute.After a probing spell of City passing, Lewis was given far too much space on the edge of the Forest area and he took full advantage with a fierce drive into the bottom corner.

With Neco Williams suspended and Ola Aina and Ryan Yates injured, Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo had gambled on 18-year-old Zach Abbott at right-back, while Anthony Elanga was surprisingly left on the bench.

For much of the first half, Nuno’s moves backfired, with Abbott — who had played just 60 minutes this season — repeatedly exposed by City’s attacks and Forest lacking a cutting edge without Elanga.

Forest failed to muster a single shot in the first half and had only one touch inside the City area.

Nuno sent on Elanga at the interval and the winger should have marked his 23rd birthday with a goal when he lashed wide from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s pass.

But City showed the ruthless str­e­ak that Forest lacked in the 51st minute.

Matheus Nunes’ effort was pushed away for a corner by Matz Sels and fro­m Omar Marmoush’s set-piece, Gv­­a­r­diol was left unchallenged as he rose highest to head home.

Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi hit the woodwork but it was too little, too late as City celebrated a victory that keeps alive their bid to avoid a first trophyless season since 2016-17.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2025