Pep Guardiola took City to Wembley for a record 24th - and final - time when we played Chelsea in the 2026 FA Cup final
No other manager comes anywhere close to Pep's incredible record of Wembley appearances over the past decade with Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp the closest with six.
Below is a snapshot of each and every game Pep guided the Blues to at the national stadium....
Gunners edge contentious semi
Arsenal 2-1 City, FA Cup Semi-Final, 23 April 2017
This was a game that had City fans scratching their heads as to exactly Pep’s first Wembley appearance as our manager ended in defeat.
Lady luck deserted the Blues and ensured Pep would complete his first trophyless campaign. City looked to have taken a crucial first-half lead when Leroy Sane’s cross found Sergio Aguero who in turn found Raheem Sterling who planted the ball into the net. However, the referee’s assistant flagged that the ball had gone out of play before Aguero reached it and the goal was disallowed. Where was VAR when we really needed it?
The Blues were handed another sizeable blow when David Silva was forced off with injury and, to compound the feeling that it might not be our day, Yaya Toure and Fernandinho struck the woodwork. But on 62 minutes, Aguero raced clear to break the deadlock, before Nacho Monreal levelled 11 minutes later to send the game into extra time. And in the 101st minute, Alexis Sanchez pounced to score what proved to be the decisive goal and set up an all-London final against Chelsea.
City blow Gunners away
Arsenal 0-3 City, Carabao Cup Final, 25 April 2018
Almost a year on from the 2-1 loss to Arsenal in the FA Cup, City exacted revenge on Arsenal – and how – as Pep Guardiola won his first trophy as our manager. If the Blues were still feeling injustice from the previous year’s defeat to the Gunners, we used that anger to good effect against Arsene Wenger’s side.
City came into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat to League One Wigan Athletic to end our FA Cup campaign but were soon ahead when Aguero raced onto Claudio Bravo’s long pass before lifting the ball over David Ospina with 18 minutes played. City doubled the lead just before the hour-mark as skipper Vincent Kompany swept in Ilkay Gundogan's cross-shot just before the hour and David Silva added a third with a powerful shot seven minutes later to complete a comprehensive victory.
Aguero brace sees City home
Chelsea 0-2 City, Community Shield, 5 August 2018
Pep Guardiola insisted that winning trophies could become a habit, so the desire to win a third piece of silverware in four months was obvious as recently-crowned Premier League champions City took on Chelsea in the Community Shield.
In baking hot temperatures, the Blues were ahead after just 13 minutes with a milestone goal.
Phil Foden burst forward before finding Aguero who tucked a low shot into bottom corner to make it 1-0 – and secure his 200th strike for the Club.
And goal No.201 wasn’t far behind, with Aguero striking again in the 13th minute of the second-half to effectively end the contest at Wembley.
Sterling the hero as City win shoot-out
Chelsea 0-0 City (City win 4-3 on pens)
Carabao Cup Final, 24 February 2019
City started this game as firm favourites to successfully defend the trophy we’d won a year earlier. Having dispatched Chelsea 6-0 at the Etihad just a fortnight before, few gave the Pensioners much hope of keeping Guardiola’s swashbuckling side at bay.
But they would do exactly that, holding out for a 0-0 draw after extra time and forcing a penalty shoot-out.
The main talking point ahead of spot-kicks was Kepa Arrizabalaga's refusal to be substituted for Willy Caballero shortly before the end of the game. Kepa had appeared to pick up and injury, but insisted he was OK to continue, and ignoring manager Maurizio Sarri’s instructions to come off – which was a relief to City fans who knew all too well Caballero’s penalty saving capabilities.
So to the shoot-out! Ederson saved the first penalty from Jorginho, before Ilkay Gundogan, Azpilicueta, Aguero and Emerson all scored to make it 2-2. Kepa then saved from Sane, but Luiz followed up immediately to hit the post for Chelsea. Bernardo then scored before Hazard made it 3-3 to put the pressure on Sterling - but Raheem kept his cool and emphatically dispatched his penalty int the top right corner to send the City fans wild.
Jesus goal downs Seagulls
City 1-0 Brighton, FA Cup Semi-Final, 6 April 2019
City’s pursuit of an unparalleled domestic clean sweep continued with a narrow win over Brighton& Hove Albion at Wembley.
With the Community Shield, Carabao Cup and enthralling battle with Liverpool for the Premier League title looking as though it would go to the final day, a first FA Cup triumph for Pep Guardiola was very much on the agenda – but first, the Seagulls needed to be dispatched.
It wasn’t a classic performance by the Blues by any stretch of the imagination, but it was all about the result on the day.
Gabriel Jesus scored what proved to be the only goal of the game with just four minutes on the clock as Kevin De Bruyne whipped in a cross from the right of the Brighton box and the Brazilian’s diving header gave Matt Ryan no chance. Glenn Murray came closest to levelling the scores and Kyle Walker was a shade fortunate to receiving a red card after a first-half altercation, but otherwise it was unspectacular stuff as the Blues reached an 11th FA Cup final.
Imperious City complete domestic quadruple with Hornets thrashing
City 6-0 Watford, FA Cup Final, 18 May 2019
It was the icing on the cake in a season few City fans will ever forget.
After edging over the finish line and seeing off Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to secure the Premier League title, the Blues were looking to add the FA Cup to the Carabao Cup and Community Shield successes. And it was never really in any doubt, despite Watford making a lively start and spurning an early chance to take the lead when City keeper Ederson saved at the feet of Roberto Pereyra. And the Hornets believed they should have had a penalty for a Vincent Kompany infringement before the Blues took command of proceedings.
David Silva opened the scoring on 26 minutes with an angled finish and Gabriel Jesus doubled that lead on 38 minutes as he turned in Bernardo’s sublime pass. And the Blues shifted up a gear from effective to ruthless in the second-half. Kevin De Bruyne made it 3-0 just past the hour-mark and Jesus scored his second seven minutes after that.
The Hornets were on the ropes, trying to avoid a humiliating scoreline but when Raheem Sterling added two more in the last 10 minutes, the annihilation was complete. John Stones struck the woodwork for good measure in added time, but City had to settle for equalling the biggest FA Cup final win since Bury beat Derby 6-0 in 1903.
Blues hold nerve to beat Liverpool
Liverpool 1-1 City, (City win 5-4 on pens)
FA Community Shield, 4 August 2019
Make no mistake about it, given the epic title race of the previous season, both City and Liverpool saw this game as a crucial psychological marker for the campaign ahead. Our only previous Wembley clash with the Reds had seen Guardiola’s men triumph on penalties – and that would be the case again in this meeting. City drew first blood on 14 minutes with Raheem Sterling finally scoring against his old club to give the Blues the lead.
But Liverpool grew into the game and after half-time, both Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah striking the woodwork before Joel Matip levelled the scores on 77 minutes. The Reds then piled the pressure on in the time that remained, with Salah almost winning the game only to see his shot parried out by Claudio Bravo and his headed follow up superbly cleared off the line by Kyle Walker.
A relieved City entered the penalty shoot-out in confident manner, and Bravo’s save from Georginio Wijnaldum’s effort proved decisive with Gabriel Jesus tucking home City’s fifth – and match-winning – penalty to secure a 5-4 win.
Blues retain trophy with narrow win over Villa
Aston Villa 1-2 City, Carabao Cup Final, 1 March 2020
Pep Guardiola secured his seventh win in eight games in cup competitions at Wembley with a hard-fought win over Aston Villa.
The Blues effectively won the game in the first half-hour with goals from Sergio Aguero and Rodri establishing a 2-0 lead before Mbwana Samatta pulled one back for Villa – who had Jack Grealish in their team – just before the break. Aguero struck first on 20 minutes before Rodri nodded home a corner – that Villa hotly contested – to double our lead on 30 minutes.
Villa’s goal came on 41, and though City - about to be dethroned as Premier League champions - largely dominated the second period, only a brilliant added time save from Claudio Bravo who denied Bjorn Engels a last-gasp leveller prevented extra time and secured a third successive Carabao Cup success for Pep’s serial trophy winners.
Aubameyang brace downs City
Arsenal 2-0 City, FA Cup Semi-Final, 18 July 2020
With the return of football after the COVID pandemic, this game was played at a Wembley Stadium that had no supporters from either side.
In a surreal atmosphere, it was also a game where City were out-of-sorts as Pep Guardiola came up against former assistant Mikel Arteta who had only been appointed the previous December. It was a game many will have forgotten south of North London, and with good reason.
The Blues produced little of note on the day and a goal in each half from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - one 19 minutes into the game and one 19 minutes from the end of normal time – to secure a victory that felt a little hollow on so many levels. The Gunners would go on to win the competition by beating Chelsea 2-1 a fortnight later.
Late Laporte header secures fourth successive Carabao triumph
City 1-0 Spurs, Carabao Cup Final, 25 April 2021
If the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal had been forgettable for most City fans nine months earlier, this game – once more against North London opposition – proved a much happier occasion. Football was still a long way from returning to normal, but 2000 fans of either side were allowed to attend the game as a gradual lifting of public restrictions continued.
Once again, it meant there was a surreal and largely flat atmosphere at Wembley – though a heck of a sight better than our previous visit. Spurs had taken the odd decision to sack Jose Mourinho before the final and Ryan Mason was installed on an interim basis.
But the management change failed to benefit Spurs who were pretty average on the day.
It had been 40 years since the Blues had lost 3-2 in the 1981 FA Cup final to Spurs, but when Aymeric Laporte headed home Kevin De Bruyne’s cross on 82 minutes, we finally avenged that loss. A narrow win on paper maybe, but a comfortable one in reality as City equalled the record of four successive Carabao Cup wins.
Chelsea into final as City fail to spark
Chelsea 1-0 City, FA Cup Semi-Final, 17 April 2021
Our third Wembley appearance during the pandemic with supporters again completely absent for this FA Cup semi-final.
Once again, the Blues faced London opposition – and once again, it was a largely forgettable game played to backdrop of 90,000 empty seats. The only goal of this tepid encounter was scored by Chelsea, 10 minutes into the second half.
Timo Werner broke forward, squared the ball to Hakim Ziyech and the Moroccan slid the ball past Zack Steffen. That was enough to send the West Londoners to the final – and thankfully, the last time the Blues would feature in one of these soulless occasions.
Foxes snatch late win
Leicester 1-0 City, Community Shield, 7 August 2021
Pep Guardiola was forced to field an under-strength team as the Premier League champions took on FA Cup winners Leicester City. Brendan Rodgers’ side dug in and caused problems, though the Blues gradually took command after the break.
Our new signing Jack Grealish was introduced on 64 minutes for his debut and Ilkay Gundogan was guilty of missing two presentable opportunities as City laboured to find a break-through and Riyad Mahrez then blazed over when through on goal with just the keeper to beat. It seemed certain the game would go to penalties until former City striker Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench with 11 minutes to play.
Then, with just three minutes remaining, Nathan Ake was adjudged to have brough down Iheanacho in the box and referee Paul Tierney pointed to the spot. The Nigerian made no mistake, beating Zak Steffen to secure a 1-0 victory for the Foxes.
Klopp's men survive comeback to reach final
City 2-3 Liverpool, FA Cup Semi-Final, 16 April 2022
City’s third successive Wembley defeat – and a fourth in five appearances at the national stadium – could have been much worse than the eventual outcome.
A Liverpool team at their peak and with a potential quadruple still possible, were at their clinical best against an out-of-sorts City who were missing the influential Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne. Zak Steffen was preferred to Ederson as the Blues’ ‘cup keeper’, but the American would endure a torrid first 45 minutes.
Ibrahima Konate headed Liverpool in front after nine minutes but Steffen’s mis-control in the six-yard box allowed Sadio Mane a gift of a second goal and City were suddenly facing a mountainous task. Mane struck again before the break to leave Guardiola’s men 3-0 down and keen not suffer a demoralising thrashing at the hands of our biggest rivals.
City, however, rallied after half-time. Jack Grealish reduced the arrears early after the restart and then Bernardo put the Blues within one strike of a remarkable comeback, but Jurgen Kopp’s men hung on in stoppage time to book a final place against Chelsea.
Sublime Mahrez treble blunts Blades
City 3-0 Sheffield United, FA Cup Semi-Final, 22 April 2023
City ended a miserable run of Wembley results in emphatic style against Sheffield United to book the first ever all-Manchester FA Cup final. The Blues started the game as red-hot favourites, with the prospect of becoming only the second English team to win the Holy Grail of football – the Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Standing in our way were Chris Wilder’s Championship side Sheffield United, but the Blades were no match for a team with history on their mind. Despite that, the Blades had the first real chance of the game Iliman Ndiaye saw his shot saved by Stefan Ortega, but their hopes of a getting to the break with a morale-boosting clean sheet were dashed on 43 minutes when the Blues were awarded a penalty.
Daniel Jebbison fouled Bernardo Silva and Mahrez made no mistake from the spot. Mahrez bagged his second just after the hour with a fine individual effort and became the first player to nag a hat-trick in an FA Cup semi-final since Alex Dawson achieved the feat for Manchester United in 1958 when he stroked Jack Grealish's cross past Wes Foderingham with 66 minutes on the clock.
Gundogan double secures FA Cup glory for Blues
City 2-1 Man United, FA Cup Final, 3 June 2023
There had been meetings of the Manchester clans before, with the 2011 FA Cup semi-final and the 2012 Community Shield clashes still fairly fresh in the memory. But there had never been a showpiece final before and, with the Blues already crowned Premier League champions and this game and a Champions League final to look forward to, there was no small irony that the only other team who had achieved that feat was Manchester United in 1999 – a team determined to remain the only treble-winners.
This, however, was a Manchester City team on a mission and in the scorching heat of the Wembley sunshine, the Blues got off to a dream start. Ederson’s long punt forward saw Kevin De Bruyne leap for a header with a United defender and as the ball fell to the unmarked Ilkay Gundogan, our German skipper connected sweetly on the volley to fire past Andre Onana from 20 yards to send one half of the stadium into delirium.
United drew level when Jack Grealish was harshly adjudged to have handled a cross in the box and Bruno Fernandes levelled from the spot. But our Treble dream was reignited six minutes after the break when a United clearance found Gundogan on the edge of the Reds’ box and his volley found its way into the bottom left corner to once again send the City fans wild. That proved to be the winner and, as we all know, the Treble was completed a week later in Istanbul…
City denied by late Gunners goal and spot-kicks
Arsenal 1-1 City (Arsenal win 4-1 on pens)
FA Community Shield, 6 August 2023
After a captivating Premier League title race that saw City hunt down and pass Arsenal on the final trait, the two teams locked horns again in a Community Shield clash that pitted the league champions against the runners-up.
In an attritional battle in the warm sunshine of North London. More than 81,000 watched on as neither team managed a break-through until Cole Palmer, in his final game for City, curled home a superb goal on 70 minutes. And as the game moved into added time, it seemed that would be enough to settle the game – but with the game moving into the 11th-minute of stoppage time, City fans wondered if the referee was ever going to blow for full-time.
Then, with the whistles of from the blue half of the stadium reaching a crescendo, Leandro Trossard hit a deflected shot that beat Stefan Ortega to level the scores. The final whistle went shortly after and in the ensuing penalty shoot-out, Kevin de Bruyne struck the crossbar before Rodri saw his effort saved as the Gunners tucked all their attempts home to run out 4-1 winners.
Bernardo snatches late winner to book final berth
City 1-0 Chelsea, FA Cup Semi-Final, 20 April 2024
City headed to Wembley in the knowledge that of our three previous clashes with Chelsea there had ended in victory – and this meeting would also go our way.
The Blues came into the game on the back of a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Real Madrid just 72 hours earlier, so this was always going to be a test of character – but one Guardiola’s men would pass with flying colours. It would be a game of few clearcut opportunities, though Cole Palmer should have put Chelsea ahead in the first-half and it looked as though it might have to go to extra time and even penalties as the clock ticked past 80 minutes.
Then, with 84 played, the breakthrough. Kevin De Bruyne raced on to Jeremy Doku’s pass, puled the ball back across the six-yard box and Bernardo’s shot struck Marc Cucarella on its way into the back of the net to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory.
Off-colour Blues suffer Wembley derby woe
City 1-2 Man United, FA Cup Final, 25 May 2024
You wait 125 years or so for a Manchester derby in the FA Cup final – and then, like buses, two come along at once. For the second successive year, the Blues and Reds met in English football’s showpiece final.
City, freshly crowned as Premier League champions a week before were taking on Erik ten Hag’s unpredictable United and as so often happens on FA Cup final day, hot sun blazed down over North London. Unfortunately, this would be a day when the season’s exertions would catch up with a distinctly flat City.
Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo gave United a 2-0 lead at the break, and as the Blues tried to spark into life, it wasn’t until the arrival of Jeremy Doku that things started to happen, the Belgian’s late goal proved no more than a consolation.
City avenge cup final defeat with shoot-out win over Reds
City 1-1 Man United (City win 7-6 on pens)
FA Community Shield, 10 August 2024
A third successive Manchester derby at Wembley opened the 2024/25 campaign and it proved instant revenge for City. It looked as though the Reds were about to inflict another demoralising defeat on the Blues when Alejandro Garnacho gave his team the lead with just eight minutes remaining.
But Bernardo levelled with a minute of normal time remaining to force an epic penalty shoot-out. Bernardo missed our first spot-kick, but Jadon Sancho missed United’s fourth with everyone else scoring in-between.
Ederson stepped up to take our fifth penalty to make it 4-4 and when Jonny Evans missed United’s eight penalty, it was Manu Akanji who dispatched the winner to take the shootour 7-6 for the Blues.
City make it three finals in a row
Nottingham Forest 0-2 City, FA Cup Semi-Final, 27 April 2025
The Blues reached a third successive FA Cup final with victory over Nottingham Forest.
Our first meeting with the Reds at Wembley, City were ahead after just two minutes through Rico Lewis and Forest were left chasing the game from there on.
Josko Gvardiol doubled our advantage six minutes after the break, and the remainder of the game was relatively stress-free as the Blues did what they needed to do to set up yet another major final under Pep Guardiola’s reign.
Eze strikes as Palace make history
Crystal Palace 1-0 City, FA Cup Final, 17 May 2025
Whatever star alignment was in place for this game, they were all in Crystal Palace’s favour and not City’s.
The South London side had never won a major trophy in their history, and it’s fair to say most neutrals were willing them to win this game. Erling Haaland and Josko Gvardiol had gone close to scoring before Eberechi Eze gave the Eagles the lead on 16 minutes.
But eight minutes later, a hugely controversial moment as Haaland raced on to a long pass and as he was about to take it around Dean Henderson, the Palace keeper tipped the ball off the Norwegian’s toe – clearly outside the box.
VAR decided it wasn’t a sending off offence, though to everyone else (other than Palace fans), it clearly was.
That decision was compounded by Henderson then saving Omar Marmoush’s penalty later in the half and going on to make several more excellent saves. The Blues couldn’t find a leveller and, in what was Kevin De Bruyne’s final game for the Club, Palace hung on to create their own piece of history.
O'REILLY AT THE DOUBLE AS BLUES SEE OFF GUNNERS
Arsenal 0-2 City, Carabao Cup Final, 22 March 2026
It was the stuff of dreams for boyhood Blue Nico O'Reilly as City beat Arsenal 2-0 to claim the Carabao Cup.
In a tight, tactical first 45, the Blues had to thank James Trafford for an amazing triple save early on before gradually starting to impress ourselves on Mikel Arteta's men.
If the first-half had been fairly even, the second period was pretty much one-way traffic and on the hour, O'Reilly struck as Rayan Cherki's cross was misjudged by Kepa and the City youngster stole in ahead of Martin Zubimendi to head home from a few yards out.
And four minutes later, he did it again.
Rodri's clever reverse pass sees Matheus Nunes set free in the box and the Portuguese stands up a delightful cross to the back post where O'Reilly heads home to make it 2-0.
There will be more chances for the Blues and couple of half-chances for the Gunners late on, but City comfortably see out the game to win the first silverware of the season.
LATE SEMI-FINAL COMEBACK BEATS SAINTS TO MAKE MORE HISTORY
City 2-1 Southampton, FA Cup Semi-Final, 25 April 2026
Goals from Jeremy Doku and Nico in the last seven minutes at Wembley saw City come from behind to become the first English side to reach four consecutive FA Cup finals.
On a glorious spring afternoon in a sun-soaked London, Guardiola's side probed throughout the first half, and when Southampton's defence was breached, Saints' goalkeeper Daniel Peretz was on hand to thwart shots on goal.
Tijjani Reijnders saw an effort saved by Tonda Eckert's side's stopper before the south coast outfit thought they had taken the lead when Leo Scienza slotted home, but the Brazilian's goal was ruled out for offside.
Following the interval, City were certainly in the ascendency but were lacking the final decisive action against a watertight Saints defence which contained former Blues Academy graduate Taylor Hardwood-Bellis at the heart of the backline.
Then, against the run of play, and with just over 10 minutes remaining at Wembley, Finn Azaz broke the deadlock with a smart turn and unstoppable strike from the edge of the area.
Undeterred, Guardiola's team lifted the tempo and equalised three minutes later when Doku's curling effort took a slight deflection and nestled into the bottom corner.
With extra-time looming, the ball broke out to Nico who took and touch and struck a thunderous effort into the top corner - a goal worthy of winning any game.
And with that, City reached a record-breaking fourth straight FA Cup final which will see us walk out at Wembley for the 24th time under Guardiola's guidance.
SEMENYO'S SPECIAL GOAL WINS CUP
Chelsea 0-1 City, FA Cup Final, 16 May 2026
While it wasn't the most exciting FA Cup final in terms of clearcut chance and opportunities, City won trophy No.20 under Pep Guardiola with a goal worthy of the occasion.
James Trafford had little to do and as the Blues gradually took control after a goalless first 45, Erling Haaland picked up the ball on the right of the box, sent in a low cross and Antoine Semenyo's outrageous flick with the inside of his right foot on 72 minutes was enough to give City a 1-0 victory.
Pep's 24th visit to Wembley was also a very happy one!
Pep's Premier League games at Wembley
Between 2017 and 2019, Tottenham used Wembley as their home ground while their new stadium was being developed. City won both visits to Spurs' glamorous temporary home - both visits being in 2018 - by an aggregate of 4-1.
14 April 2018: Spurs 1-3 City
29 October 2018: Spurs 0-1 City
Feature: David Clayton
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