Why Pep Guardiola Dropped Antoine Semenyo for FA Cup Semi Final vs Southampton
- Antoine Semenyo was left out of Manchester City’s squad for the FA Cup semi-final versus Southampton
- Pep Guardiola rotated heavily after a congested schedule, with several key players left on the bench
- The Citizens came from behind to beat Southampton 2-1 at Wembley, booking a place in the FA Cup final
- A former Asante Kotoko SC striker said he was not impressed with Semenyo’s last two Man City games
Antoine Semenyo was surprisingly left out of Manchester City’s squad for their FA Cup semi-final clash against Southampton FC on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Veteran manager Pep Guardiola made sweeping changes to his starting XI following City’s 1-0 win over Burnley FC at Turf Moor last Wednesday (April 22).
Source: Getty Images
Only Rayan Cherki, Matheus Nunes and Rayan Aït-Nouri retained their places for the Wembley showdown, as Guardiola looked to manage fatigue amid a demanding run of fixtures.
Several key players, including Erling Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marc Guéhi and Bernardo Silva, were on the bench, while Semenyo was omitted entirely, according to the BBC.
It marked the first time since the Ghanaian star's reported £64 million move to the Etihad from AFC Bournemouth in January that he was not included in the domestic matchday squad.
Why Semenyo was left out vs Southampton
Speaking to the BBC via Metro Sports before kick-off, Guardiola explained that his selection was driven by concerns over energy levels rather than performance.
"I have a lot of experience, at this stage, when you play every three days, travelling. I felt an incredible loss of energy, mentally fatigued.
"The selection is top, the players are top. It’s just I want to bring the energy we need to sustain our game as high as possible."
Source: Getty Images
In another interview with TNT Sports, Guardiola reiterated the importance of freshness, pointing to the intensity of recent fixtures, including demanding clashes against Arsenal FC and the toll of constant travel.
"It’s not a gift, I told them it’s not because I want to make a turnover at this stage of the season, it’s just in the past when you play a run of three games, Arsenal, so demanding, three days later, so demanding, and travel to London, we need energy.
"We need rhythm, sometimes we play semi-final, Champions League quarter-finals, coming here, we’re so flat. If it works, it will be a good decision; if not, it won’t be," Guardiola concluded.
Ex-Ghana star unhappy with Semenyo's output
Meanwhile, former Asante Kotoko SC striker Eric Bekoe said he has not been impressed with Antoine Semenyo’s last two performances for Manchester City, urging him to improve or risk losing his place under Pep Guardiola.
Speaking to YEN.com.gh, Bekoe commented:
"I haven’t been impressed with him in his last two games. He needs to step up because if he doesn’t improve, Guardiola could drop him.
"I watched him against Arsenal, and he looked so ordinary. His movements and reading of the game were poor. He was also poor against Burnley. It's not about scoring all the time, but his last two games have not been too good."
Meanwhile, Semenyo remains on course for an extraordinary first half-season at the club.
The Ghana forward joined City in January and has already collected one major honour after helping the club win the 2026 EFL Cup with a 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Wembley on March 22, 2026.
Now, with City in the FA Cup final, Semenyo could soon add another medal to his trophy collection, with Manchester City also firmly involved in the Premier League title race with the Gunners.
Man City reach FA Cup final
Despite the changes, Manchester City booked their place in the FA Cup final with a 2-1 comeback victory at Wembley, Sports Mole reported.
Southampton looked set for an upset when Finn Azaz fired the Championship side ahead in the 79th minute.
However, City responded quickly as Jérémy Doku equalised with a deflected effort just four minutes later.
The turnaround was completed late on when Nico González scored the winner, sending Guardiola’s side through to the final.
City will now face either Chelsea or Leeds United as they look to lift the FA Cup this season.
Antoine Semenyo among top 5 African stars
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Antoine Semenyo was tipped as one of five African players to watch at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Underlining his rapid rise, his explosive club form has put him firmly in the spotlight as the Black Stars look to succeed in North America.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
