Southampton enter the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City with a 20-game unbeaten run, according to multiple reports. The Championship side defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the quarter-finals and had won eight consecutive games before a midweek draw with Bristol City, as reported by major media.
Shane Long, a former Premier League striker, told Daily Mirror - Football that Southampton should not try to park the bus against Manchester City. According to the same source, Long described the squad as confident and together, with great determination to defend. He also praised Brazilian winger Leo Scienza, who joined from Heidenheim in the summer, calling him an unbelievable player capable of a magic moment. Long said he would choose winning the FA Cup over an immediate return to the Premier League.
Southampton are coming into it with a lot of confidence and they need to use that. Hopefully, we can get a good start, a foothold, and be realistic enough to know they're not going to control it like they do in the Championship.
Defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis, engaged to Roy Keane's daughter Leah, has spoken to Keane about footballing matters, according to the player. Long questioned whether Keane could relate to Harwood-Bellis's situation because football came naturally to Keane, as reported by Daily Mirror - Main. Harwood-Bellis made eight first-team appearances for Manchester City, went on loan to Burnley, and scored on his England debut against the Republic of Ireland in 2024.
When they do have the ball, keep it. You don't want to just sit in a deep block because you're asking for trouble that way. There's a good mentality in the squad. They've got the fitness to go to the end of the game and that never-say-attitude.
It's a confident dressing room and you can tell they're together as unit. They get on well off the pitch too. They have great determination to defend and keep a clean sheet.
Scienza is an unbelievable player. He can control a game and have a magic moment out of nowhere that can get you a goal.
There's a lot of talent in that Southampton squad and a lot of options, players who've come from so-called bigger clubs and they're hungry to prove themselves.
I'm sure Man City are wary of them. I know City are in good form themselves but this is a big banana skin for them.
I think the fans would go for an FA Cup, because the Championship is so enjoyable as well.
There's no better person to ask in terms of big moments with the experiences he's gone through so yeah.