City’s other goalscorer, Jeremy Doku, talks to the BBC. “It is my third final in three years … every time it is like wow, what a journey … especially this game … we knew it was not going to be easy … I was analysing the game in the first half … we were a lot in the middle … as soon as I came in, I knew I had to bring more threat … my first reaction when I dribble is ‘who is free’ rather than ‘where is the goal’ … Saints are a good team … a lot of quality players … I was not surprised.”

He’s shown a replay of his goal, and is somewhat surprised by the deflection off James Bree: “Oh, he touched it! [laughs] … I’ll take it! … it’s fine by me!”

The match-winner Nico Gonzalez, awarded Player of the Match, talks to the BBC. “I don’t remember [scoring a goal as good as that] to be honest … it’s amazing to score at the end … with this amazing stadium, with this atmosphere, it’s an amazing feeling … we played really good in the second half … I was waiting for the chance … so I gave it everything I should, and it went in! … it’s been a really important week for us … we are alive in the league … it’s amazing to arrive to another final … I hope we can win it … it’s a dream to win trophies.”

That takes the status of instant classic. Southampton’s players to a man click into thousand-yard stare mode, before being geed up by their boss. They go over to their fans, and receive the ovation their efforts deserve. From the very first whistle this afternoon, they went toe to toe with Manchester City, and for a heady couple of minutes, dared to dream after Finn Azaz scored one of the great Wembley goals. But City responded like the champions they so often are: if Jeremy Doku’s equaliser required a little bit of good fortune, then Nico Gonzalez’s screamer was worthy of a place in the final. Everyone on the pitch deserves the highest credit for putting on a show, not a villain, culprit or fall guy in the house, just two teams packed with heroes. City go onto the final, in which they’ll be hot favourites against either Chelsea or Leeds United; Southampton, should they make it back to the Premier League, would grace the top division with their fine play. Plenty of neutrals will be willing them on after that.

Pep Guardiola immediately goes up to his opposite number Tonda Eckert. An embrace as he whispers in Eckert’s ear. A bit like the end of Lost In Translation, we’ll never know exactly what’s said. But Pep looked heartfelt, and it meant something to Eckert, who mouths “thank you”. You can be sure the Saints manager, a mix of pain and pride in his piercing eyes, has just been given the highest praise for his team’s wonderful performance this afternoon. A moment of bittersweet glory for Southampton’s brilliant young manager.

90 min +7: Scienza goes over under some light scrutiny from Nunes. The romantic says the referee should award a free kick, and with it one last chance to deliver into the box; the realist says it’s never a free kick, and the ref correctly agrees.

90 min +6: Saints pump a couple of long balls towards the City box. City deal with them both. Is there to be one last chance?

90 min +5: City win a corner. Doku and Cherki take turns to keep the ball near the left-hand corner flag. The clock, which looked against them when Azaz did his thing, is suddenly their friend.

90 min +3: Harwood-Bellis is booked for a tug on Haaland. He looks aggrieved, but should have been booked earlier for a block on Marmoush, so can count himself lucky in the round.

90 min +1: … but in the first of seven additional minutes, Doku doesn’t back himself to launch the ball from halfway into the unguarded net! He walks the ball up to the edge of the Saints penalty box, then under pressure from the returning keeper, slips a ball across to Savinho, whose attempted thread into the bottom right is hacked off the line by Matsuki! Outrageous!

90 min: The corner from the right leads to a corner on the left. Scienza sticks that under the bar. City clear, and suddenly Cherki sends Doku away! He beats Archer and the walkabout Peretz on the halfway line, and surely City are about to seal the deal …

89 min: What a response from Manchester City. What a blow for poor Saints, though. One last roll of the dice for the underdogs, as Edozie and Archer come on for Fellows and Bree. And Archer’s first act is to win a corner with a bustle down the right.

86 min: Cherki curls in from the right. Wood half clears with his head; Bree, unsure of his surroundings, concedes a corner with his. And from the set piece, which is half cleared again …

85 min: City have been forced to deploy all of their big guns, and now Silva comes on for Reijnders. Safe to say Pep neither wants nor fancies extra time!

83 min: That was an unlucky break for Saints, but they don’t let their heads drop. Larin meets a cutback on the edge of the City D, and sends a rising shot goalwards. It’s tipped over the bar by Trafford. Nothing comes of the resulting corner, but dear me, this FA Cup semi-final, which has been entertaining from the off, has really exploded into life!

82 min: Savinho and Nunes combine down the right, the former eventually forcing a save from Peretz, who kicks clear for a corner. And from that …

81 min: That is an incredible finish! And the move began on the halfway line, with Jander stripping Cherki of possession on the halfway line before advancing down the left and feeding Matsuki infield. Matsuki then shuttled the ball on to Azaz, and the rest is elegant history!

78 min: Ake takes a whack from Jander as the pair compete for a loose ball, but after a quick check to his thigh, he’s fine to continue.

77 min: Nothing comes of the City corner. Bree launches long, and Scienza nearly beats last-man Nunes to a header, but the City defender flicks clear just in time.

76 min: Welington can’t continue, out of every last drop of energy. He’s been run ragged since the get-go, against Reijnders, Foden and Savinho, but never found wanting. Matsuki comes on in his place.

75 min: Doku cuts in from the left and aims for the bottom right corner. His shot is deflected out to the left of goal for a corner. Before it can be taken, Welington goes down.

74 min: … so yes, Saints are clinging on a bit here.

73 min: Gonzalez barges his way into the Saints box from the right and lashes goalwards. Peretz parries well. Cherki has another go. The ball pings off the arm of Charles, but though City claim for a penalty, that arm was tucked away and that’s not going to happen. And in any case City should then score, the ball breaking to Reijnders, clear on the penalty spot … but the resulting shot sails wide of the bottom-right corner with Peretz beaten all ends up.

72 min: Another double substitution by Manchester City. Ait-Nouri and Marmoush are replaced by O’Reilly, who scored both goals here last month as City beat Arsenal in the League Cup final, and Haaland, who, well, y’know.

70 min: Savinho drives at Welington down the right channel. Welington just about stops him getting past, but at the expense of a corner. Savinho takes it himself, launching towards the back stick, but Wood rises highest to belt a header clear.

68 min: City have been much improved in this second half. Southampton clinging on a bit. But they’re holding on.

66 min: The BBC have shown quite a few shots of punters in the stands fast asleep. Both City and Saints fans. The match is great fun, non-stop action, so you have to conclude that the ABV% of the Wembley beer is at turps-level. Sláinte, everyone!

64 min: Savinho slips Nunes into the Saints box down the right. Nunes takes one touch too many, with team-mates lined up in the middle, and has to make to with a corner rather than an assist. Then from the set play, Savinho attempts a low curler towards the bottom right. Peretz gets down to parry with a strong arm, then Saints counter, Larin haring after a long ball down the middle! He looks to have the pace to beat Stones, but Trafford has read the danger and comes out of his box to blooter clear. Oh my.

63 min: Cherki jinks his way into the Saints box from the right and whistles another promising ball through the six-yard box. Marmoush, telescoping a leg, isn’t able to connect. City are getting closer and closer and closer.

62 min: Saints make their own double change, replacing Stewart and Bragg with Larin and the quarter-final hero Charles.

60 min: Savinho bursts down the right and wins a corner. The set piece is worked long to Doku on the other flank. Doku advances down the wing, then cuts back, before slipping Ait-Nouri in on the overlap. Ait-Nouri rolls across to Marmoush, who leans back and skies a shot over the bar. That would have been an outrageously good team goal. Shame for everyone, apart from Saints of course.

59 min: A bit of space for Reijnders, 25 yards out on the left. He takes a touch infield before whipping a violent curler towards the top right. The ball flies just wide of the post, which is just as well for Peretz, because the keeper wasn’t getting to that. Reijnders close to a fine goal.

58 min: City make the first swaps of the afternoon. Foden and Kovacic are replaced by Doku and Savinho.

57 min: Wood makes two big blocks in the space of a couple of seconds, from Nunes and Cherki. City are cranking up the pressure.

56 min: Stewart tries a curler towards the top right. He doesn’t get any oomph behind the shot, and it’s easy pickings for Trafford. Southampton haven’t shown any of their first-half sparkle in this second period yet.

55 min: Kovavic takes a cute touch to turn into space in the middle, then releases Marmoush down the left. Marmoush turns Harwood-Bellis inside out, and is brought down clumsily. The Saints defender should go into the book, but somehow escapes. Then the free kick is worked back to Foden, who opens his body to curl a shot into the top left, but gets it all wrong. High and wide. Goal kick.

53 min: City have looked sharper and quicker since the restart. Pep appears to have issued some beneficial advice during the break.

52 min: A couple of passes down the City left nearly open Southampton up. Foden and Aki take turns to dilly-dally over their cross, and the ball’s cleared easily on both occasions. Then Cherki bursts down the right and fizzes a delightful low ball through the six-yard box. Everyone in sky blue is on the back foot, and a glorious chance to tap City into the lead is spurned.

50 min: Marmoush gets on the end of a long pass down the inside-left channel and enters the Saints box. He shoots. Harwood-Bellis blocks, deflecting over the bar. Saints deal with the resulting corner easily enough.

48 min: City get back into their usual groove of stroking the ball around. Saints sit back and challenge them to break through.

46 min: Azaz nicks the ball off Ake and sends Fellows scampering clear down the inside right. Fellows enters the area, but doesn’t get his shot away quickly enough, allowing the recovering Ake to block and cushion the ball into the arms of Trafford. Big chance.

Southampton get the second half underway. No changes. Nunes is fine to continue, which is good to see. No serious harm done. “I’ll give Kari Tulinius (14 min) When the Saints,” begins Richard Hirst, “but the dirge-like Blue Moon? Never. Which opposition team has not been cowed when coming to Craven Cottage to be greeted by London Calling, bellowed by the massed ranks of, oh, at least 200 fans?”

THE HALF-TIME SHOW starring Jim McCalliog. “Jim McCalliog!” yelps Simon McMahon, having skimmed the pre-match bumf. “Come on, Scott, get the Wembley ‘67 highlights up, you know you want to.”

Well, if I must. McCalliog’s goal, which proved to be the winner, comes just after the six-minute mark of the video below. He was making his Scotland debut as a 21-year-old that day, though he’d already scored at Wembley, as part of the Sheffield Wednesday team that lost the FA Cup final from two goals up a year earlier. His opener, scored four minutes into that match, comes just after the three-minute mark of this.

(In the interests of balance and full disclosure, what happened to Scotland after McCalliog’s goal in 1967 is covered by the first two harrowing paragraphs of this. Oh Scotland!)

45 min +1: Cherki nearly jinks his way past Welington down the right, but the Saints full-back sticks to his shoulder before nicking the ball off him. That’s magnificent defending from the Brazilian.

45 min: There will be a minimum of two additional first-half minutes.

44 min: Nunes still doesn’t look comfortable, but he’s OK to see things through to the break at least. That’s a relief.

42 min: Khusanov prepares to come on, but there’s a hold up as Nunes gets back up onto his feet. That’s good to see: for a moment, thoughts turned to poor Hugo Ekitike against PSG the other week, who went down in similar fashion, with nobody near him. Thankfully this doesn’t look anywhere near as serious.

41 min: Nunes goes down with nobody around him. He’s in some distress. On come the physios.

40 min: City with the probing again. Saints holding their shape as ever. Kovacic loses patience and tries to force things with a wedge down the right. Too high, over everyone’s head, and out for a goal kick.

38 min: Now it’s Southampton’s turn to calm things down a bit with a little patient possession at the back.

36 min: … and suddenly City spring into life, Kovacic fizzing a pass down the inside left for Marmoush, who enters the area and whistles a low drive towards the bottom left. Peretz kicks clear for a corner. And from the resulting set play, which is worked from left to right, Cherki crosses long for Reijnders who attempts a bicycle kick and … let’s just award full marks for ambition. To be fair to Reijnders, as the Saints fans chortle, he has the good grace to have a laugh at himself upon getting back up.

34 min: On the touchline, Pep dictates some technical orders in the no-nonsense fashion. He’s not gone full fidgety yet, but he’s stirring, beginning to prowl.

32 min: City pass and probe, but there’s no way through. Southampton will be as happy with their defensive display so far as their verve in attack.

30 min: Bree curls a long free kick from the right flank to the far stick. Harwood-Bellis can’t quite get to the ball as it floats out for a goal kick. Southampton will be more than happy with the way this is panning out.

29 min: Southampton are gaining in confidence, stroking the ball around nicely. Fellows draws another foul, this time from Ait-Nouri out on the right, and here comes another chance to deliver a free kick into the City mixer.

28 min: Azaz slips Bree into space down the right. The ball’s cut back towards Stewart, but Kovacic is on point to intercept and clear. Southampton not shy in coming forward.

26 min: … but then leaves it for Welington, whose floated delivery is easily dealt with by Ake.

25 min: Cherki carelessly skittles Fellows, who was going nowhere down the inside-left channel. Suddenly this is an opportunity for Saints, a free kick in a dangerous position, 30 yards out. Scienza prepares to swing it in.

24 min: Foden finds himself in a pocket of space on the edge of the Saints D. He could shoot, but tees up Cherki to his right instead. Cherki, slightly surprised by the generosity, can’t get a shot away in the face of Jander’s pressure. Southampton clear their lines.

22 min: Welington delivers another fine ball, this time down the left to release Scienza into space. Scienza stops, opens his body and crosses long for Stewart, who heads harmlessly over the bar. And then the flag pops up belatedly for offside. Both teams giving it plenty. A cup semi in the sun!

20 min: Saints don’t take it lying down, and Welington looks for Stewart with a pass down the middle. Not quite.

19 min: Cherki isn’t far away from releasing the lively Reijnders down the inside-right channel. But Welington has his wits about him, intercepting just in time and flicking clear. City are beginning to turn the screw. And then Kovacic jinks at high speed down the same channel, a run reminiscent of Gazza in his prime. Kovacic reaches the right-hand corner of the six-yard box and swivels to shoot across the face of goal and out for a goal kick. What a solo goal that would have been!

17 min: … and now Marmoush dribbles with purpose into the Saints box from the left. But there’s no getting past Harwood-Bellis. This is such a fast, fun match.

16 min: The game having started in end-to-end fashion, City attempt to establish some control. But their creativity can’t be reined in forever. Or indeed for more than 60 seconds. Cherki and Kovacic take turns to spin elegantly down the inside-left channel, but neither are able to get the better of Bree. This game won’t end goalless. It can’t. It surely can’t.

14 min: Southampton have shown their intent already. They’re clearly going to take the game to Manchester City. No point dying wondering, and hats off to them for that. “Are these the two English teams with the best club anthems?” wonders Kári Tulinius. “A beloved gospel song on the one hand and a Rodgers and effing Hart on the other hand, North London Forever doesn’t stand a chance, and I say that as an Arsenal fan.”

12 min: Offside drama at both ends. First up, Marmoush breaks clear down the right, only for Wood to extend a leg and block the shot out for a corner. Then the flag goes up. And then, Stewart releases Scienza down the inside-left channel. He’s clear, enters the box, draws Trafford and slots confidently across the keeper and into the bottom right. Bedlam in the Saints end, but the flag goes up correctly for another offside. Good fun this!

10 min: The Saints fans, unperturbed, channel their inner Satchmo again. What support. Determined to enjoy Wembley. And then they nearly get something to seriously sing about, Fellows making good down the right and cutting back for Jander, who goes over Reijnders’ leg on the edge of the box. A muffled shout for a penalty, but nobody’s really serious about the call. The ball deflects out for a City goal kick.

8 min: Reijnders wins a corner off Welington down the right. Nothing comes of the resulting set piece. But this is quite some pressure from City, and Welington has already broken out in a sweat, worried beads dotted across his furrowed brow.

7 min: Amid that stramash, Foden tried to poke into the bottom right, only for Harwood-Bellis to hoick off the line. Fine defending, but of course that Marmoush offside would have ruled any goal out.

5 min: … and City quickly show how dangerous they can be. Marmoush is sprung clear down the right. He cuts back for Reijnders, who lashes a shot off the right-hand upright. In fact Peretz got a touch, and that’s a fine save. Saints somehow hack clear, then the flag goes up for offside, Marmoush having gone too early. It was close, though.

4 min: Should Saints win this, they’d become the first team from outside the Premier League side to make the final since Cardiff City beat Barnsley in 2008. They’d also become the first lower-division team to beat a top-flight side in the semi since Sunderland saw off Norwich City in 1992. It’s a big ask, but Arsenal have receipts.

2 min: Saints finally get a touch, and there’s instant hope. Scienza makes good ground down the left but his cross is no use. Electric run, though. The underdogs with a statement of intent of their own.

1 min: City waste no time in establishing how they plan to go about this. A lot of patient possession. Saints yet to have a touch.

Manchester City get the ball rolling. April. Wembley. Sun. It’s that time of year. What’s not to love?

The teams are out! Manchester City in first-choice sky blue with white sash, Saints in their 1976-inspired yellow and blue. Wembley is bouncing, and Southampton’s fans are winning the pre-match singing exchanges. They’re making a rare old racket with their New Orleans-infused spiritual. Blue Moon barely getting a note in edgeways. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.

Southampton will wear yellow and blue this afternoon, as they have done in the FA Cup all season, commemorating the 50th anniversary of their victory in the 1976 final. Those were the colours they sported at Wembley as Bobby Stokes scored late on for Lawrie McMenemy’s second-division side, shocking hot favourites Manchester United. The commemorative shirt has the signatures of all the players in the cup-winning team woven into the fabric, and rather cutely, only 1,976 individually numbered replica shirts have been produced.

Jim McCalliog, whose precision lob down the middle sent Stokes through for the 83rd-minute winner, has just told TNT Sports that what remained of the match that day were “the fastest seven minutes … when the referee blew the whistle I didn’t think it was time. We felt very comfortable out there. We were handing the game, controlling the game. I didn’t have a worry.”

Pep’s counterpart Tonda Eckert turns his laser gaze towards TNT Sports. “Focus … we know about the occasion … we have prepared all week and will be ready … [Southampton’s long unbeaten run] gives you confidence going into every game … combined as always with a good sense of humility … we are going to need both today … you need to be brave … they will push us closer to our goal … we know we will need to suffer … when we do have the ball we have to be brave to have some spells on it … we have played some big names in the last weeks … so we will be fully focused … it is a big occasion for our supporters.”

Pep Guardiola talks to TNT Sports. “There is potential, obviously … happy to be back … Wembley is always special … a question of performing … [Southampton are] 19 games unbeaten … when that happens, we have to be alert because something is going on in that team … you don’t make 19 games unbeaten if they don’t have something … we spent time to try to discover how we have to do it … [a place in today’s City starting XI] is not a gift … we need energy … bring energy … rhythm … Pep [Lijnders] brings us something new … Liverpool [with Lijnders and Jurgen Klopp] was incredible … I learn a lot and am a better manager because of him … [John Stones] on and off the pitch is just adorable.”

Manchester City have made eight changes to their starting XI following the Premier League win at Burnley. John Stones returns from injury to captain the side, while Erling Haaland, Bernardo Silva, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku and Abdukodir Khusanov drop to the bench, rested ahead of the league run-in, but awaiting the call if required.

Southampton make six changes after their eventful Championship draw with Bristol City during the week. Leo Scienza and Ross Stewart, two heroes of the quarter-final win over Arsenal, are among those who return. Taylor Harwood-Bellis captains against his old club, while Flynn Downes is suspended. Shea Charles, who scored the winner against Arsenal, is on the bench.

… so yes, this is Manchester City’s eighth consecutive season in the FA Cup semi-finals. Their overall hit-rate is pretty good, too: they’ve reached this stage on 20 previous occasions, making it to the final 14 times. But Southampton are pretty prolific as a semi-final concern too: this will be their 14th appearance, and though their success ratio isn’t quite as impressive, they have reached the final four times: 1976 of course, as a Second Division side; 2003 when in the Premier League; and 1900 and 1902 as a Southern League outfit. A pair of semi-final grandees, then, Saints from all the way back to the Victorian era, City relative newcomers as they had to wait for the Edwardian era for their first appearance in 1904. And yes I am killing time until the team news drops.