Manchester City is pinning its hopes on Wembley Stadium playing a crucial role in its quest for another historic treble of major trophies.
One leg of a potential trio of late-season visits to English soccer’s renowned national stadium was secured as City advanced to the semifinals of the FA Cup on Saturday.
While City’s progression was somewhat expected, the journey of second-tier Coventry to the last four came as a surprise to many.
Manchester City dispatched Newcastle with a 2-0 win, courtesy of two deflected shots by Bernardo Silva in the opening half. Pep Guardiola’s side has now reached the FA Cup semifinals for an impressive six consecutive seasons, a feat unmatched in the competition’s 153-year history.
The day’s excitement unfolded earlier at Molineux, where Coventry staged a dramatic late comeback to defeat Wolverhampton 3-2, securing a spot in the semifinals for the first time since 1987—the year they lifted the cup.
In the 10th minute of added time, United States striker Haji Wright completed the astonishing turnaround, just three minutes after Ellis Simms leveled the score for Coventry with his second goal of the game.
Despite sitting in eighth place in the Championship, Coventry emerged as the lowest-ranked team to advance to the quarterfinals. The club, which has faced financial challenges since relegation from the Premier League in 2001, can now anticipate another journey to Wembley, where it narrowly lost the Championship playoff final to Luton last season.
It also adds another chapter to manager Mark Robins’ storied FA Cup history. Robins famously scored the winner for Coventry against Nottingham Forest in the 1989-90 season, a moment credited with saving Alex Ferguson from potential dismissal as Manchester United manager.
For Guardiola, emulating Ferguson’s success would solidify his place among the managerial greats. Achieving back-to-back trebles in the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup would undoubtedly elevate his legacy.
To realize this ambition, City must return to Wembley two more times this season, for the FA Cup final on May 25 and the Champions League final a week later, both hosted at the iconic London venue.
The remaining FA Cup quarterfinal matches will be played on Sunday, with Manchester United facing archrival Liverpool and Chelsea hosting second-tier Leicester City. The draw for the semifinals will also take place on Sunday.
