FA Cup: Manchester City beats Nottingham Forest 2-0 to reach final and keeps trophy hopes alive

Manchester City reaches FA Cup final, aiming to salvage a disappointing season under Pep Guardiola with a potential trophy win.

Even Manchester City's worst season under Pep Guardiola could still end with a trophy.

On the day it was officially deposed as Premier League champion, City reached the Football Association (FA) Cup final for the third year in a row by beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 at Wembley Stadium to maintain a chance of salvaging something from a dismal campaign.

City scored early on Sunday (April 28, 2025) in each half as Rico Lewis put his team ahead in just the second minute and defender Josko Gvardiol doubled the lead in the 51st with a header from a corner.

Forest hit the woodwork three times after that but couldn't get a consolation goal in its first FA Cup semifinal since 1991.

The win gives Pep Guardiola's team a chance to salvage something from a disappointing campaign where its hopes of a fifth straight Premier League title disappeared early and it failed to even reach the round of 16 in the Champions League.

City will play Crystal Palace in the final on May 17.

“Unfortunately, the season has not been as we wanted, but we are still in another FA Cup final,” said City midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who set up the opening goal. “So it's good that we want to finish it in a strong way.”