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Monday’s briefing: Silva looks set for City exit and Southampton get cup reward
Bernardo Silva’s glittering Manchester City career appears to have entered its final few weeks.
However, it could yet end with silverware after City were paired with Sky Bet Championship Southampton in the FA Cup semi-finals, with Leeds facing Chelsea in the other tie.
The Saints’ quarter-final victims Arsenal will look to ease their cup heartache when they return to Champions League action against Sporting Lisbon this week.
No Silva lining for Bernardo?
Bernardo Silva is set to leave Manchester City this summer, assistant manager Pep Lijnders has indicated.
The Portugal midfielder, who has won six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups and five Carabao Cups in a 450-appearance City career, is in the final year of his contract and his future has been the subject of speculation throughout the current season.
Lijnders appeared to confirm the 31-year-old’s imminent departure while carrying out media duties on behalf of manager Pep Guardiola after Saturday’s FA Cup win over Liverpool.
The Dutchman, responding to a question about how City might replace him, said: “Every good story comes to an end and I hope he enjoys the last months – because there is only six weeks – and has a good farewell. He deserves all the attention as well.”
Saints get City draw
Southampton’s reward for dumping Premier League leaders Arsenal out of the FA Cup is a semi-final showdown with City.
The Championship promotion hopefuls, who beat the Gunners 2-1 on Saturday evening, were paired with Guardiola’s men in Sunday’s draw.
Leeds will face Chelsea in the other semi-final after a dramatic conclusion to their quarter-final clash with West Ham.
The West Yorkshire club led 2-0 at the London Stadium, but saw the hosts score twice in added time to take it to an extra 30 minutes, only for the visitors to eventually triumph 4-2 on penalties and claim a place in the last four for the first time since 1987.
The ties will be played on Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 at Wembley.
Arsenal gunning for Sporting Lisbon
Christian Norgaard has urged Arsenal not to dwell their shock FA Cup exit as the Premier League leaders look to bounce back in the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta’s men were dumped out by the Saints on Saturday evening as substitute Shea Charles’ late strike compounded their Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City a fortnight ago.
The Gunners will attempt to get back to winning ways in Lisbon in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting, before the runaway league leaders host Bournemouth in a key game on Saturday.
Experienced midfielder Norgaard said: “The message is to have a positive body language, to talk with your team-mates, with the coaching staff.
“Now is not the time to go with our heads down for too long. It’s fine to be frustrated tonight and also tomorrow to analyse what went wrong, but then we also have to look forward because there are so many big games coming up for this club.”
What’s on today?
The focus is on the Sky Bet Championship on Easter Monday with leaders Coventry looking to defend their 11-point lead over Millwall when they head for play-off contenders Hull.
The Lions, who climbed into the automatic promotion places after their Good Friday victory at top-two rivals Middlesbrough, host Norwich, while Boro travel to Swansea and fourth-placed Ipswich are at home to Birmingham.
At the other end of the table, Leicester and Oxford will attempt to climb out of the bottom three with away games at Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth respectively.
