Manchester City swept past Southampton with a scintillating second-half display to win 4-1 and reach the FA Cup semi-finals.

City have twice drawn against the Saints in the Premier League this season, but found their ruthless streak to book a Wembley date against Liverpool and keep their treble hopes alive.

Raheem Sterling gave the visitors the lead after Adam Armstrong struck a post for Southampton early on, although the hosts deservedly equalised in first-half added time when Aymeric Laporte turned Mohamed Elyounoussi’s cross into his own goal.

However, City moved through the gears in the second half once Kevin De Bruyne had converted a penalty. Substitute Phil Foden added a third with a perfect strike from the edge of the area and then Riyad Mahrez netted at the end of a lovely move.

Pep Guardiola needed a response from his side’s disappointing draw at Crystal Palace on Monday and – despite a sloppy end to the first-half – he got that.

Armstrong was inches away from giving Southampton the lead when his shot came back off a post and Sterling punished the miss moments later by sweeping home from inside the six-yard box.

City then hit the woodwork from close range as Ilkay Gundogan connected with Joao Cancelo’s cross, but the visitors were unable to build on their lead.

Southampton finished the first half strongly, grabbing the equaliser in added time when Elyounoussi broke in behind before seeing his cross deflect into the City goal by Laporte.

An end-to-end start to the second half eventually led to Gabriel Jesus being brought down in the box by Mohammed Salisu and De Bruyne snuck the penalty past Fraser Forster.

Southampton responded well with City needing keeper Zack Steffen to save from substitute Che Adams which proved crucial as Foden struck a stunner to add a third.

Two minutes later Mahrez, another substitute, found the corner after Gundogan had chested the ball into the winger’s path from Cancelo’s cross to put the tie beyond Saints.