Southampton suffer huge player blow 48 hours before Man City FA Cup clash | OneFootball

Southampton midfielder Flynn Downes is set to miss the Saints' FA Cup semi-final clash with Manchester City following a violent conduct charge

Southampton will be without one of their key assets when they take on Manchester City in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final clash at Wembley.

The Saints, who are vying to win promotion from the Championship back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, have enjoyed a remarkable FA Cup run this term, which has included victories over top-flight outfits Fulham and Arsenal in the last 16 and quarter-finals, respectively.

Tonda Eckert's men had enjoyed a remarkable run of eight consecutive wins across all competitions, but that came to an end when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Bristol City at St Mary's Stadium on Tuesday.

Southampton remain unbeaten in 20 fixtures, and can head into Saturday's high-profile clash with Man City full of confidence, despite dropping vital points against the Robins in their last outing.

Pep Guardiola's men will also be in a buoyant mood, though, as they leapfrogged Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table by beating Burnley 1-0 on Wednesday.

Southampton set to face Manchester City without key midfielder

Man City have already clinched silverware at Wembley this season by defeating Arsenal 2-0 in last month's EFL Cup final, courtesy of England international Nico O'Reilly's brace.

However, Guardiola's side won't want to stop there, as they are still chasing a historic domestic treble.

Southampton have already proven their appetite for an FA Cup upset this season, and would love to seal a Wembley return by getting the better of the Premier League leaders.

The Saints have already been handed a stumbling block, though, as their official website has confirmed that midfielder Flynn Downes will be unable to play in their next three matches, thanks to a violent conduct charge.

Downes' suspension has come as a result of an incident in the 23rd minute of last Saturday's Championship victory at Swansea City, which wasn't seen by the match officials, but has been examined after being captured on video.

The 27-year-old, who formerly represented Swansea and West Ham United, has been a key asset for Eckert's side this season, making 41 appearances across all competitions.

Downes has notched three goals and one assist this term, most recently scoring in a 5-1 triumph over Welsh outfit Wrexham on 7 April, but he will be a notable absentee when his side descends on the English capital this coming weekend.

Southampton cannot let Manchester City test disrupt Championship promotion push

Southampton's 2-2 draw with Bristol City leaves them three points adrift of second-place Ipswich Town in the race to win automatic promotion from the Premier League.

The Saints' primary goal this term is to book their spot in next season's top flight, either automatically or via the Championship play-offs.

Eckert's side though will believe that they can cause Man City problems this Saturday, having already got the better of Arsenal in the quarter-finals.

However, the fact that Guardiola has the likes of Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku at his disposal means that the North West outfit have the potential to comprehensively defeat the Saints.

Southampton must ensure that even if they are well beaten by Man City, they do not lose momentum in their Championship promotion race.