FA Cup semi-final draw: Manchester derby final possible as City and United kept apart
The FA Cup trophy



(Image credit: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

Manchester City (opens in new tab) and Manchester United (opens in new tab) have been kept apart in the draw for the FA Cup semi-finals, raising the possibility of a first-ever Manchester derby final.

City – who thumped Burnley 6-0 in the quarter-finals – will face Championship Sheffield United (opens in new tab) – winners of a 3-2 thriller against Blackburn Rovers – in their fifth straight semi under Pep Guardiola.

In the other semi-final, Brighton (opens in new tab) – having dispatched League Two Grimsby Town 5-0 – will take on the winner of the final quarter-final between United and Fulham (opens in new tab).

City have gone out in the last four in each of the past three seasons, last lifting the FA Cup in 2019.

Sheffield United have reached this stage for the first time since 2014 but could be without two key players against City: Tommy Doyle, who scored a stunning stoppage-time winner against Blackburn, and James McAtee are both on loan from the reigning Premier League champions.

Meanwhile, Brighton will be looking to make their second final 40 years on from their first – when they lost to United, who were beaten by Chelsea (opens in new tab) on their last appearance in 2018.

Only Arsenal have won this competition more often than the Red Devils, whose 12th and most recent triumph came in 2016 under Louis van Gaal.

As for Fulham, their one and only FA Cup final appearance came when they were defeated by West Ham (opens in new tab) way back in 1975.

FA Cup semi-final draw in full:

Brighton vs Manchester United or Fulham


Manchester City vs Sheffield United

Ties to be played on the weekend of April 22/23

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Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for The Analyst and When Saturday Comes, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open…

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