EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | Man City 3-0 Sheffield United | Mahrez hat-trick sends City to FA Cup final!

So welcome to the Etihad Stadium South. Another trip to Wembley, the stadium is half blue and half red. Sheffield United in their familiar red and white stripes, the Blues of course in their famous blue. This is simply a dress rehearsal for the final that only one of these two sides will be able to enjoy, being at the centrepiece of one of the world's famous cup final occasions. Blues have been going for Premier League titles and Champions League success, not that that will detect any way, shape or form from their desire to win this cup. But they've conceded the game's first corner and Sheffield United have already shown in previous rounds how good they are from set pieces. There is a line of Sheffield United players waiting to time their runs, there is an out swinging ball from Oliver Norwood, the header comes in, Sheffield United have a chance and Ortega makes the game's first save. That was on target, Michael Brown. It's a huge chance, that was just saying set pieces were going to be key. Manchester City had to be aware of Ilham and Ndrae on the back post, he's been the talking point, he's the one who has that bit of quality. This takes a touch after they pull the set piece back towards the penalty area, this is a big chance, big save and he should have scored actually, he should have put it in the far corner. Ortega saves it well with his left shin, that's a huge chance. Walker plays it back to Alvarez, City into the final third, but Alvarez's ball is a poor one and Sheffield United have won possession back, but now City get it back and Harland hits a shot and scores! No, it won't count, handball, handball is the decision from Stuart Atwell. Ball was cleared and it bounced into the possession of Harland who thumped it into the net, but I think Stuart Atwell's given a handball. He has given handball against Alvarez. Juarez now comes in on his left foot, has options, one of them is Gundogan on the edge of the area. Gundogan plays it backwards to Alvarez, Alvarez now to Walker, Walker tried to pop in across, it's cleared as far as Mares, Mares hits the shot, it whistles by the post. City say that has to be a corner, Stuart Atwell says no, it's a goal kick, either way it's City's first attempt, legitimate attempt, goes out for a goal kick. City have just escaped a bit of a cross from Sheffield United. Gundogan plays it across to Alvarez. City get into the final third with Grealish. Grealish up against Baldock, plays it back to Alvarez. Alvarez with the bending shot and Fodringham tips it round the post. Don't think it was one of those where I ever thought it was going to go in, but Fodringham almost waited too long to tip it round the post, but he did just get there in the nick of time. trying to make inroads down the right side. Sheffield United's left and there's a foul and a free kick to the Blues. Too far away for a shot. It's a crossing position. Norwood's foul on Mars. Sheffield United with a very high line, the cross comes in deep, likely headed away and it'll reach Bernardo Silva who mishits it and then tries to get to the second ball that could be a penalty Stuart Atwell says yes it is and at last the opportunity for City to break Sheffield United resistance. Bernardo Silva mishits a shot it then came back to him in the penalty area he tries to just get the ball beyond Jebberson and Jebberson collides with his right leg penalty kicks Stuart Atwell and well VAR are surely not going to overall the only question now will it be Harland who takes the penalty so Mares with a chance to give City the lead we're just going to enter the 43rd minute they've dominated this game and yet really tested Fodringham can Mares give City the lead the answer is most definitely yes Fodringham goes one way Mares tucks it in the other and Riyad Mahrez gives City the lead. That's a very cool penalty it took a long time for Riyad Mahrez and certainly who was going to take it when he comes across with his left foot he sort of waits for the goalkeeper to dive and whips it really really late but it's right into the bottom corner side netting real real quality penalty. as he gets to the edge of the area Sergio Gomez hits a deflected cross Haaland is almost onto it. It was a very difficult chance because it was a cross that was deflected heavily and it kind of span away, it had a very unusual kind of trajectory. Haaland did his utmost to reach it, the fact that he even got to it is a credit to him but he couldn't steer it in the net it would have been pretty impossible for him to do so. was enough for City to see off Brighton in their last successful FA Cup semi-final. Now here comes Mahrez, darting towards the edge of the area. Oh, he's all the way through and scored! Well, I never! He must have run 60 metres there, Riyad Mahrez. Sheffield United's defenders either didn't challenge him or didn't want to challenge him, and they just melted away in front of him. And Mahrez ran all the way through and passed it out of the reach of Wes Bodringham. You have to give credit to Riyad Mahrez, but also you have to wonder what Sheffield United's defenders were doing, because Mahrez just ran straight down the middle and no-one got anywhere near him, and City lead by two goals to nil. It was a brilliant finish, right through the heart, it was good pressing again, forcing that mistake, and then Sheffield United all over the place, didn't know which one to go with. And in the centre of the pitch, where Riyad Mahrez is, just approaching the penalty spot, he's calm, he's cool, and just picks his corner, this special goal from Riyad Mahrez. Gundogan to the final third. On it goes to Mahrez, Mahrez on the edge of the penalty area, plays it to Bernardo Silva, Bernardo Silva back to Mahrez, Mahrez tries to find Walker, it bounces back to Mahrez again. On it goes to Sergio Gomez and out wide to Grealish. Grealish now up against Baldock and Berger, tries to go in between the two of them. And Mahrez gets his hat-trick! Lay-off from Grealish, first-time in-step finish from Riyad Mahrez. That is a sweet, sweet finish. And City lead by three goals to nil, and I suspect barring something quite unbelievable. City fans, book your trips for Wembley, we're back here again in June. Such good players, it's all about the timing of the run, he just comes back off it, Riyad Mahrez, and just sweeps the ball in with that left foot, Jack Grealish sees it, and at that point the delivery, the finish is hard as well, because he's got to take it on the ball. He sweeps it just inside the penalty area, big finish, goalkeeper Fodum just gets across, left hand, not enough power, in the save, and it just drops into the far corner. Wonderful from Riyad Mahrez. Michael, do you think if you had the choice that City fans would rather face Brighton than United? That's a really good question, isn't it? I mean, bring on the Manchester derby for me, that's what I would want to do. The City fans might actually say, do you know what, I hope United get beaten, I hope it's Brighton, but really it wouldn't get better with a beaten United. City look for a fourth, but Alvarez drags his shot wide, Foden had it on the edge of the area, fashioned a little gap for Alvarez, and Alvarez, well, it was a really good opening for him, and a player of his standards, he'll be disappointed he hasn't made it four.