FA Cup

Manchester United came from behind to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday to reach the FA Cup final.

Dele Alli grabbed the lead after 11 minutes, but goals from Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera sealed United's comeback.

Chelsea and Southampton will contest the second semi-final at 3 p.m. BST (10 a.m. ET) on Sunday. The winners will meet United in the final on May 19, the kick-off time of which is yet to be confirmed.

Recap

Spurs enjoyed an electric start to the clash as they began with intensity and some crisp passing.

They were soon rewarded with the lead when Christian Eriksen picked out Alli with an exquisite low cross from the right, and the Englishman made no mistake from close range.

As ESPN FC's Dan Kilpatrick noted, the goal only emboldened Tottenham further:

United, by contrast, were more subdued after conceding but nevertheless managed to pull level 13 minutes later when Paul Pogba showed good strength to dispossess Mousa Dembele and put the ball on a plate for Sanchez to glance home, per Football on BT Sport:

The Red Devils rode their luck somewhat when Eric Dier rattled the post with a deflected effort, though Jesse Lingard could perhaps have had a penalty when Jan Vertonghen pushed him in the area.

Manager Jose Mourinho's side put themselves in front when Romelu Lukaku mis-controlled Sanchez's pass into Herrera's path, and the Spaniard lashed in a low, first-time finish:

Spurs were unable to muster much of a response as United controlled proceedings superbly after taking the lead, with David De Gea largely unchallenged for much of the second half.

Tottenham have now lost each of their last eight FA Cup semi-finals in a run stretching back to 1993.

Ander Herrera scored the winning goal as Manchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to clinch their spot Saturday in the 2018 FA Cup Final.

Dele Alli evaded his markers to put Spurs ahead after 11 minutes at Wembley Stadium, but Paul Pogba found Alexis Sanchez in the box to equalise midway through the first half.

Sanchez was also involved in the buildup to Herrera's 62nd-minute winner and helped feed the Spaniard to beat Michel Vorm from 10 yards out and send United into the final.

United will discover their FA Cup final opponent Sunday when the spotlight returns to Wembley for Chelsea's meeting against Southampton. The two teams met last Saturday, when the Blues came back from two goals down to win 3-2 at St Mary's Stadium.

United Flops Turned Fearless

Stars will be largely judged on their performances in big fixtures, and after enduring their shares of criticism throughout this season, Pogba and Sanchez came good in overcoming a sturdy FA Cup foe Saturday.

It was symbolic that Pogba stripped Mousa Dembele—Tottenham's Mr. Consistent renowned for his ball retention—of possession before delivering an inch-perfect cross to Sanchez for United's equaliser, via BT Sport. Goal's Kris Voakes lauded the execution of the assist:

But it wasn't long before that we saw the Hyde to Pogba's Jekyll. Pogba was partly to blame for failing to properly track Christian Eriksen before he teed up Alli for the opener, although a mispositioned Ashley Young was the main culprit.

Writer Jonathan Shrager illustrated Pogba's ability to flip a performance in one sequence of play:

Following his recent tide-turning brace against Manchester City, where it was Sanchez who chipped in with two assists, there's cause to believe the highly paid pair are finding their rhythm as an attacking tandem.

Pogba is starting to exhibit the same kind of domineering, fluid control on fixtures that he once had at Juventus, demonstrated by his manoeuvring around Dembele at times.

The frustrating inconsistencies shown by both stars needs rooting out next, Sanchez's summarised by rapper Santan Dave after his goal:

Mourinho's FA Cup Salvation

After a glum home defeat to West Bromwich Albion sealed the Premier League title for Manchester City in sad style, United's FA Cup triumph was as big a victory for Jose Mourinho as anyone else at Wembley on Saturday.

Granted, many at Old Trafford might have envisioned bigger feats than a UEFA Europa League and the League Cup in Mourinho's maiden United season last term, but Sam Pilger hinted at the legacy being established:

It was a crushing blow for the Red Devils to lose out to Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, and City have been so far superior in the league by and large, but an FA Cup triumph would salvage much faith.

For all the glitz administered by newer faces Pogba, Sanchez and Lukaku, however, it all came down to one of the veterans already stationed at the club upon Mourinho's arrival:

What's more, we also now have a potential showdown between former colleagues on the horizon, per Men In Blazers:

Not that his place at the club was under much doubt in any case, but Mourinho will now be considered favourite to win the competition and restore some morale at Old Trafford.

Tottenham's Choking Point?

It's folly to deny Tottenham's rampant growth as a football force in recent years. The club has gone from two top-four Premier League finishes in 23 years to third and second in 2016 and 2017, respectively, a new stadium in construction and a growing Champions League presence, but one thing remains missing: silverware.

Then again, it could be that a curse on their fortunes in the FA Cup semis is to blame, per Squawka:

The club has come close under Mauricio Pochettino to mounting serious challenges on multiple title fronts in the past four years, but Saturday's defeat suggested they're still found wanting against the established elite.

There were no major player absences to speak of, a 1-0 lead put the fixture in their grasp, and the familiarity of Wembley, their home of the past nine months, meant excuses were difficult to spot.

The irony wasn't lost on Paddy Power:

Power tends to be cyclical in football, but Spurs will want to take advantage of their momentum under Pochettino while they have it lest they risk missing their opportunity to decorate the trophy cabinet.

Chelsea and Southampton will meet in the semi-finals of the 2018 FA Cup on Sunday, just over a week after the two clubs did battle in the Premier League.

The Blues mounted a furious―and controversial―comeback to beat Saints 3-2 in that match, setting the stage for what should be another entertaining contest.

Date: Sunday, April 22

Time: 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET

Venue: Wembley Stadium, London

TV Info/Live Stream: BT Sport (UK), Fox Sports (U.S.)

Vengeance on their Minds

These two teams battled on April 14 in a Premier League classic that had everyone talking. Southampton took a two-goal lead through Dusan Tadic and Jan Bednarek but were left furious when Marcos Alonso wasn't sent off for a horror tackle on Shane Long.

The Spain international then played a crucial role in the comeback, with Olivier Giroud and Eden Hazard turning the situation around for the Blues in less than 10 minutes.

Alonso was retroactively punished by the Football Association and won't feature in the semi-final.

While Saints won't be able to get the better of Alonso this time around, they will be keen to finish the job against Chelsea.

Priorities

Both teams will have a choice to make with regard to their team selections and the rest of the Premier League season. Chelsea face a tough battle to finish in the top four and qualify for next year's UEFA Champions League, while time is starting to run out for Southampton in the battle against relegation.

Saints, in particular, might be better off prioritising the league over the FA Cup and resting some of their key players on Sunday. While it's great to end the season with a trophy, it wouldn't be much of a consolation if the team goes down to the Championship.

Chelsea sit five points behind fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur in the standings with four matches still to play, but momentum is not on their side. For the Blues, a run at the FA Cup seems more sensible.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Southampton

Manchester United's hopes of securing silverware this season lie in the FA Cup, but they face a difficult obstacle in their way in the form of semi-final opponents Tottenham Hotspur.

They'll meet on Saturday at Wembley Stadium—which has served as Spurs' home ground this season—before Chelsea and Southampton face off in the second semi-final on Sunday.

Read on for a preview of each clash, including schedule and viewing details, predictions and the latest information from OddsShark.

Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Date: Saturday, April 21

Time: 5:15 p.m. (BST)/12:15 p.m. (ET)

TV Info: BBC One (UK), Fox Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: BBC iPlayer (UK), Fox Soccer 2GO (U.S.)

Odds: Manchester United (7-4), Tottenham (3-2), Draw (12-5)

With United set to finish in second place in the Premier League, having come sixth last year, they have demonstrably improved again under Jose Mourinho this season.

However, their UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Sevilla in the round of 16 and disappointing performances such as in Sunday's 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion have taken the shine off that improvement.

Football writer Liam Canning was among many to criticise the defeat:

Another trophy on the back of winning the EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League last year would enhance assessments of their campaign considerably, though.

There are many who believe Spurs need silverware to prove their credentials under Mauricio Pochettino, a view football writer Lars Sivertsen disagrees with:

A trophy could nevertheless play a big part in keeping the Lilywhites' talented group of players together under the manager, and they will be hoping for a repeat of United's visit to Wembley in January, in which Spurs eased to a 2-0 victory.

United's inconsistency makes them difficult to predict. If they are as lifeless as they were against West Brom, they should be soundly beaten again; if they show their abilities, as they did in the second half of their 3-2 comeback against Manchester City, they have a good chance of winning.

Tottenham, on the other hand, are a force to be reckoned with at Wembley, having only lost there to Chelsea, West Ham United, Juventus and City in all competitions this season. They will likely come into the match with the intensity and positivity we have come to expect from them under Pochettino.

That approach worked for them against United in their most recent meeting, so unless the Red Devils are at their best, Spurs should have the edge.

Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Manchester United

Chelsea vs. Southampton

Date: Sunday, April 22

Time: 3 p.m. (BST)/10 a.m. (ET)

TV Info: BT Sport 1 (UK), Fox Sports 1 (U.S.)

Live Stream: BT Sport Player (UK), Fox Soccer 2GO (U.S.)

Odds: Chelsea (50-119), Southampton (513-100), Draw (163-50)

The FA Cup has been a welcome distraction this season for Saints, who come into the match in the relegation zone with four Premier League games remaining.

Outside of the cup—in which they have edged past Fulham, Watford, West Brom and Wigan Athletic—Southampton have won just one match since November 26, so beating Chelsea will be a tall order.

Their opponents have not been particularly convincing of late as they stumble towards the end of the season with little to play for in the Premier League, but they will hoping to reach the FA Cup final once again this year after losing to Arsenal in last year's showpiece.

Despite playing below the standard they are capable of, the Blues enjoyed a 3-2 league win over Southampton on Saturday, when they battled back from two goals down thanks to Olivier Giroud's brace off the bench.

As Goal's Nizaar Kinsella noted, the France international has a habit of haunting the St Mary's Stadium side:

He'll be looking to do so again at Wembley on Sunday, and given the Saints' struggles, he should be capable of firing the Blues to the final on May 19.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Southampton

With the Premier League title gone and their places in the top four all but secured, the FA Cup takes on extra meaning for Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur this season.

For both sides, the pressure is on to secure some silverware in a campaign that has seen Manchester City breeze to the championship. And a prize would be so important for both teams for different reasons.

Jose Mourinho won two trophies last year for United and will be desperate to keep his run going. Tottenham, meanwhile, have yet to claim any silverware under Mauricio Pochettino, and given their familiarity with Wembley Stadium, they may not have a better chance for many years.

With the victors set to play either Chelsea or Southampton in the final, this semi feels like it may yield the winner.

Here are the key viewing details to ensure you don't miss any of the action and a closer look at how both sides are shaping up ahead of the semi-final.

Date: Saturday, April 21

Time: 5:15 p.m. (BST), 12:30 p.m. (ET)

TV Info: BBC One (UK), FOX Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: BBC iPlayer (UK) FOX Soccer 2GO (U.S.)

United, Spurs Seek to Finish Season on a High

While it may be harsh to label the FA Cup as a consolation prize given its rich tradition and standing in the game, both Tottenham and United would have had grander ambitions at the start of the season.

Even so, any trophy win would be important for Spurs. There's no denying what a wonderful job Pochettino has done with this side, and they have some of the best players in the league at their disposal. Still, Tottenham fans won't want to remember this team as one that faltered when the pressure was on.

Simon Stone of BBC Sport believes a prize is vital, although it doesn't necessarily undo the good work being done at the club:

At the same stage of the competition last season, Tottenham did wilt and failed to make their dominance count against an understrength Chelsea.

Pochettino will have reason to believe things will be different this term, though. This will essentially be a home game for his players, meaning the nervousness that comes with a big fixture at the national stadium shouldn't be there.

Spurs also have Harry Kane back among the goals after his recent injury layoff, with two goals in his last three games. As noted by Sky Sports Statto, he continues to cement his status as an elite goalscorer:

United boss Mourinho will hope his side can continue to add to Tottenham's misery in these big matches, although a major improvement is needed on recent performances.

The Red Devils were well below their best in the loss to West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Sunday, leaving many supporters feeling rather downbeat as they head into the semi-final. United were dominated by Spurs in a 2-0 loss at Wembley in January, too.

It has been reported Mourinho is ready to drop some big-name players for this one, including Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez, who have both struggled for consistency as of late. Former United man Gary Neville believes that would be the right decision:

It would be a bold decision, though, as there will be so much pressure on United to reach the final and give themselves a shot at glory on May 19. You sense Pochettino would be quite happy to see both of those players on the bench on Saturday, too.

Although Spurs were nowhere near their best in the 1-1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday, at Wembley and in an FA Cup semi-final, renewed focus has to be expected. They will be on the front foot, looking to dominate the ball and confident of prising United open with their attacking variety.

The Red Devils, by contrast, are likely to adhere to Mourinho's classic blueprint in these games—sit deep, be cohesive and try to pinch a goal on the break. That would work against a lot of sides, but this Tottenham team are too good to be kept at bay for 90 minutes.

Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Manchester United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hailed Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho as "the Special One" but said he needs to lead the Red Devils to glory in the FA Cup in order to save the club's 2017-18 campaign.

The Red Devils are second in the Premier League but could suffer the ignominy of seeing Manchester City claim the title if they lose to their local rivals at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

An abject last-16 defeat to Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League has left United with only the FA Cup left to fight for, and they face Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals on April 21.

Ibrahimovic, 36, left United to join L.A. Galaxy in March after close to two seasons at Old Trafford. He backed Mourinho and urged him to go all the way in the FA Cup, per ESPN FC:

"I like Mourinho. He is the Special One. He likes to win. Wherever he went he won. He made me feel comfortable. He gave me a lot of responsibility. He said to me the only problem he had with me was when could he rest me.

"They've been doing it good. Let's hope, there's one last trophy to play for, and that's the FA Cup. So hopefully they win it. Last year we had a big success with the three trophies. With a new team like that—new coach, couple of new players—and hopefully that rings on, because as a top team, like United, you need to keep winning, because that is the status of the club. You need to win. And if you're not winning, you're not belonging to the top."

The decorated Swede played a key role for Mourinho last term, as the Portuguese manager guided United the EFL Cup, the UEFA Europa League and the Community Shield during his first season in charge at Old Trafford.

United re-signed Ibrahimovic in the summer after he made impressive progress in his recovery from a knee injury, but he was never able to force his way back into the first team.

A combination of his injury and the increase in competition for places—especially because of Romelu Lukaku's arrival—meant Ibrahimovic played only 103 minutes in the Premier League in 2017-18 before departing for MLS. 

The veteran forward has already made an impact for the Galaxy. He came off the bench to make his debut on Saturday against Los Angeles FC and scored twice in a remarkable comeback win from 3-0 down, per MLS:

A dream debut for #zLAtan.@Ibra_official is the @alcatelmobileus Player of the Week. https://t.co/RryiSHczPu

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 3, 2018

The former Ajax, Juventus and Barcelona man is unlikely to be missed on the pitch for United, as Mourinho has a wealth of attacking talent to call on.

But as Ibrahimovic said, the Red Devils need to make their quality count by claiming the FA Cup this season.

Manchester United will face Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals of the 2017-18 FA Cup, and Chelsea will take on Southampton.

The draw for the last four took place after Chelsea's 2-1 defeat of Leicester City on Sunday and saw the Blues handed arguably the most favourable draw against Saints, who are sitting in the Premier League's relegation zone.

United will have to get past Spurs if they are to have a chance to play for their 13th FA Cup.

However, the north London side may feel they have an advantage over the Red Devils given they have been playing their home games at Wembley Stadium for the 2017-18 season.

Here is the draw in full:

The semi-final fixtures will be played at Wembley on April 21 and 22.

Chelsea had to go through extra time in order to get past Leicester in their quarter-final clash.

Alvaro Morata gave the Blues the lead in the 42nd minute with his first goal for the club since Boxing Day before Jamie Vardy scrambled home in the 76th minute to force the extra half-hour.

Kasper Schmeichel was then culpable as substitute Pedro headed home in the 105th minute for the winner.

Sunday's earlier FA Cup tie saw Southampton beat Wigan Athletic 2-0 in manager Mark Hughes' first game in charge, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Cedric Soares scoring the goals.

United reached the semi-finals courtesy of an uninspiring 2-0 defeat of Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday night.

Romelu Lukaku netted in the first half before Nemanja Matic put the game to bed with an 83rd-minute strike.

The Belgium international has scored in all four of United's FA Cup matches this season and will be eager to get on the scoresheet again in the clash against Spurs.

Mauricio Pochettino's side enjoyed the easiest quarter-final win on Saturday as Christian Eriksen's double and Erik Lamela's strike in first-half stoppage time gave Spurs a 3-0 win at the Liberty Stadium.

Chelsea secured their place in the semi-finals of the 2018 FA Cup thanks to an extra-time goal from substitute Pedro at the King Power Stadium on Sunday.

The Blues took the lead through Alvaro Morata but were forced into extra time after Jamie Vardy equalised in the second half. Pedro then headed home N'Golo Kante's cross to seal a 2-1 win and a place in the last four.

Chelsea made changes for the game with Willy Caballero replacing the injured Thibaut Courtois in goal and Morata and Tiemoue Bakayoko also starting. Leicester brought in Kelechi Iheanacho and Marc Albrighton for Shinji Okazaki and Demarai Gray. John Cross at the Mirror shared the two teams: 

The visitors started the game brightly with Victor Moses looking a threat, but they were unable to work goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. At the other end, Wes Morgan twice went close with headers from corners with neither defence looking particularly robust.

The deadlock was eventually broken just before half-time as a quick break saw Willian race forwards and find Morata, who finished superbly. Goal's Nizaar Kinsella felt it was an important goal for the striker:

It was not all good news for Chelsea with Bakayoko's poor form continuing, and the midfielder was replaced by Cesc Fabregas at half-time. ESPN FC's Liam Twomey had sympathy for the Frenchman:

Leicester improved after the break and had chances to equalise. Riyad Mahrez fired over the bar after a poor clearance from Caballero, while Vardy headed Wilfred Ndidi's cross over. Simon Johnson at the Evening Standard felt the striker should have done better:

The hosts were seeing plenty of possession yet struggling to break Chelsea down until they finally found a way through with 15 minutes remaining. Mahrez crossed from the right, and Vardy's initial shot was blocked with Caballero also denying Iborra on the follow-up. However, the ball fell loose to Vardy, who pounced and managed to force it home despite Caballero getting a touch on the ball.

Squawka Football highlighted his record against top clubs:

The momentum was with Leicester, and they almost went ahead minutes later as substitute Okazaki just failed to get a touch on Ben Chilwell's cross. The action switched immediately to the other end with Morata backheeling Fabregas' cross onto the woodwork.

Morata had another chance late on but was twice denied by Schmeichel as the game finished all square and headed into extra time. Conte made changes bringing on Pedro and then Gary Cahill and Olivier Giroud, and it was the Spaniard who scored again on the stroke of half-time.

This time Kante was the creator crossing for Pedro, who got to the ball ahead of Schmeichel and headed into an empty net. Henry Winter of The Times was critical of the goalkeeper: 

Both teams had chances in the final period of extra time, but Chelsea held firm to keep their FA Cup dreams alive, and they now have a semi-final at Wembley Stadium to look forward to.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was ruled out of the Blues' FA Cup quarter-final with Leicester City on Sunday due to a hamstring injury.

The Belgium international was replaced by Willy Caballero, and manager Antonio Conte said Courtois had a "muscular injury," per BBC Sport (h/t Alex Young at the Evening Standard).

The 25-year-old picked up the injury in training but would not have featured in the FA Cup clash even if he had been fit, according to journalist Kristof Terreur:

Caballero is Courtois' back-up at Chelsea and has featured in every round of the FA Cup so far. The Argentinian has also conceded just one goal in four games, in their third-round replay against Norwich City.

However, Conte has said that he does not have a specific FA Cup goalkeeper and that he would have to choose between the two, as shown by Goal:

Courtois has come under scrutiny after his performance in the 3-0 UEFA Champions League defeat to Barcelona on Wednesday. Two of Lionel Messi's goals went through the goalkeeper's legs as the Blues were knocked out of the tournament at the last-16 stage.

ESPN FC's Liam Twomey said the 'keeper was to blame:

The Chelsea stopper spoke about the goals after the match and said Messi put the ball at his "weakest point," as shown by Football on BT Sport:

Vaishali Bhardwaj at the Evening Standard showed how Courtois was aiming to make amends:

Courtois is widely considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, although he has not been consistently at his best this season. There has been plenty of speculation over his future, but he has said he is committed to Chelsea, per Indy Football:

The goalkeeper must now wait to make amends for his performance against Barcelona as the Premier League pauses for an international break. The Blues face a crucial game against Tottenham Hotspur next up in the top flight on April 1 and will be hoping Courtois is fit and available.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur made their way into the last four of the FA Cup on Saturday, as they beat Brighton & Hove Albion and Swansea City, respectively, in the quarter-finals.

United were uninspiring as they beat Brighton 2-0 at Old Trafford, but the Manchester giants controlled the contest for most of the game.

Spurs were excellent on their travels, and they powered through the first half to damage the confidence of the hosts at Liberty Stadium. The north London side won 3-0.

Here is the latest schedule for the competition:

Sunday—Remaining Quarter-Final Matches

Wigan Athletic vs. Southampton (1:30 p.m. GMT/9:30 a.m. ET)

Leicester City vs. Chelsea (4:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET)

Recap

United continued to lack entertainment value at Old Trafford, as the Red Devils edged past an energetic Brighton side.

United manager Jose Mourinho left Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez on the bench, as the hosts played with caution and control.

The visitors failed to threaten before half-time and were punished as Romelu Lukaku's header gave United a 37th-minute advantage.

The second half continued to be a dull affair, but the Seagulls came into the match as their opponents sat back.

Jurgen Locadia was in good form for Brighton as they looked for the equaliser, but United got the job done as the final whistle loomed.

Nemanja Matic met Ashley Young's curling free-kick in the box, and the midfielder headed home with seven minutes left.

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News passed along comments from a Brighton analyst:

Spurs were clinical. They travelled to Wales and comfortably reached the semi-finals as they kept a clean sheet on the road.

Christian Eriksen's 11th-minute effort quickly broke the deadlock against Swansea, but the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled out Heung-Min Son's goal to the disappointment of the travelling fans.

However, Erik Lamela made it 2-0 in the first minute of injury time at the end of the first half, and the Swans' heads collectively went down.

Spurs continued to dominate after the restart, and Eriksen grabbed his brace as the away team proved to be a class apart.

The Dane was too good for Swansea shortly after the hour mark, and his goal put the game to bed as Spurs go marching on in the competition.