FA Cup: Mahrez's Hattrick Sends Man City Past Sheffield Utd

Riyad Mahrez was the hero for Manchester City as his hat-trick propelled the English champions into the FA Cup final with a commanding 3-0 victory against Sheffield United at Wembley on Saturday.

Mahrez's superb display helped City end their run of three successive FA Cup semifinal defeats and secured their place in the final for the first time since 2019 when they won the competition for the only time in Pep Guardiola's reign.

City's opponents in the Wembley final on June 3 will be determined by the winners of Sunday's semifinal between Manchester United and Brighton.

Mahrez, the Algerian international, was the standout performer in the match, breaking down Sheffield United's resistance with a penalty late in the first half and completing his hat-trick with two clinical finishes after the interval.

City's road to the final has been impressive, as they have yet to concede a single goal in this season's tournament.

Guardiola's side have won 11 of their last 12 games in all competitions and remain in contention for a memorable treble, chasing Arsenal in the Premier League and preparing for a Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid.

The Citizens received a boost ahead of their crucial clash against Arsenal on Wednesday, as the Premier League leaders were held to a 3-3 draw by bottom-of-the-table Southampton.

This result leaves City five points behind Arsenal with two games in hand, setting up an exciting title race in the remaining matches of the season.

Guardiola made six changes to the starting lineup against Sheffield United, resting key players ahead of the Arsenal match.

Despite City's impressive form and Sheffield United's status as Championship underdogs, there were a surprising number of empty seats in the 69,603 crowd at Wembley, highlighting the inconvenience and expense for fans outside of London when semifinals are played at the capital.

City's victory sends them to the FA Cup final with confidence and determination to add more silverware to their trophy cabinet.

Their opponents in the final, whether it's Manchester United or Brighton, will be faced with a formidable challenge as City continue their pursuit of domestic and European success this season.