For much of the season, the dominant narrative revolved around Arsenal's potential quadruple. However, after losing the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City and an FA Cup quarter-final to Southampton, that dream evaporated. Now, as City prepare to face Southampton at Wembley on Saturday, the pressing question is whether Pep Guardiola's side can secure a third treble of his tenure, a pursuit that has quietly emerged.
While this treble—comprising the Premier League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup—may not match the 2023 Champions League triumph, it would replicate their 2019 domestic treble and add a surprising layer to Guardiola's legacy, potentially in his final season at the Etihad.
City have not resembled a trophy-winning side for much of this campaign. They languished eighth in November, nine points behind Arsenal, and barely scraped into the Champions League top eight. Yet, as often happens, Guardiola has found a winning formula mid-season. Since their Champions League exit to Real Madrid, City have won five consecutive matches, including victories over Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool. A narrow 1-0 win at Burnley highlighted their imperfections, making this potential success all the more remarkable for an unremarkable team. Victory sent them top of the league for the first time this season, and focus now shifts to Wembley.
Southampton's Remarkable Run
Standing in their way is the country's in-form team. Southampton are unbeaten in 20 games across all competitions since mid-January. Under 33-year-old manager Tonda Eckert, they have risen from relegation trouble to the play-off places, with a slim chance of automatic promotion from the Championship.
The Premier League remains the ultimate goal, but the FA Cup holds deep sentimental value for Southampton, marking 50 years since Bobby Stokes' winning goal secured the club's only major trophy. Eckert would enter folklore if he could overcome Arsenal and City en route to lifting the cup. The young German coach, initially interim after Will Still's sacking, has transformed the team. Unlike Guardiola, who won everything as a player, Eckert barely played professionally, realizing his limitations early. He started coaching at 19, working as an analyst for Germany at Euro 2012 and later with academies at FC Koln, RB Leipzig, and Bayern Munich.
Eckert's Game Plan
Eckert acknowledges the challenge: “We will have periods where you need to suffer, but accept that you might not touch the ball for a minute and stay calm. Most of City's goals come within the six-yard box or inside the 18-yard box. There will be moments where you just need to defend inside your box. Then there will be transition chances—we need to be crucial on the ones they give us. You can't rely only on defending. We need to be brave and find another gear when we have the ball.”
City are favorites, but Guardiola has a curious FA Cup record. This is their eighth consecutive semi-final, aiming for a fourth straight final, yet Guardiola has lost six of seven FA Cup games at Wembley, including defeats in the last two finals. He has won six Premier Leagues and five League Cups but only two FA Cups, making this pursuit significant beyond the treble.
For Southampton, the stakes are even higher. Eckert said: “You can feel around the club that this year is very special. The competition is always special, but being the 50th anniversary of our last win makes it even more so.”
