Manchester City are prepared for a heavy surface at Wembley as Pep Guardiola admitted to battling player fatigue during the run-in.
Guardiola was still pondering his line-up to face Southampton on Friday, planning to finalise the team during the train journey down to London.
While the City boss ruled Rodri out with a groin problem, he appeared unsure as to who out of the current preferred starting XI could feature again after beating Arsenal and Burnley this week.
Gunning for promotion from the Championship, Saints are 20 matches unbeaten and knocked Arsenal out in this month’s quarter-final.
And Guardiola’s fears around tiredness regarding his team selection also appear to centre on the Wembley pitch and the effect that may have on the legs of his players.
‘Arsenal was so demanding emotionally, it’s normal,’ Guardiola said. ‘Three days later [Burnley], three days later [Southampton]. Our people were so, so tired.
Pep Guardiola has admitted he is concerned about the Wembley pitch ahead of the title run-in
James Trafford is set to start for Man City in their FA Cup semi-final against Southampton
‘Then take a train, three hours from here to the hotel. Always the grass is thick. Many thoughts I still have in my mind.’
City players have twice complained about surfaces in recent seasons, Ruben Dias last year and Kyle Walker in 2024 – both coming away at Nottingham Forest.
James Trafford will start in goal with the likes of John Stones, Savinho and Tijjani Reijnders pushing for starts.
Guardiola admitted to having disappointed members of his squad after sticking with the same 11 players for the biggest games in recent weeks.
‘The players who don’t aren’t too much happy,’ the Catalan added. ‘Because, you know, the last games we have long weeks. I rotate less. In the last five, six games, we conceded one goal.
‘Now I have to think about it because today people on the second day [after Burnley], always tired and we are a little bit drained.
‘Some physios told me be careful of that player, that player, for the history, for the potential injury.
‘If one player is injured right now, it’s gone, it is over. And now I’m want to have the players available for Everton until the end.’
Meanwhile, Guardiola – aiming to reach a fourth consecutive FA Cup final – praised the City hierarchy after they froze prices for season and general admission tickets.
The majority of the Premier League have slapped price increases on supporters and City’s decision comes after talks across several months with their fan representative board.
General secretary of the Official Supporters’ Club Kevin Parker said he was ‘gobsmacked’ by the unexpected news and hoped rival clubs would follow suit, with Guardiola believing it sends a positive message.
‘Hats off to my chairman and chief executive,’ he said. ‘This business does not work without the fans. It would be like how it was in Covid time.
‘The club needs resources to buy the best players possible but when the club thinks they can find [finance] another way, it means a lot. It shows how special this club is.’
