time at Wembley, with new rules allowing
managers to make another change from the
quarter-final stage
Manchester City made history in their FA Cup semi-final
with Arsenal by bringing on a fourth substitute, with
Kelechi Iheanacho the man introduced.
New rules brought in for the 2016-17 campaign mean
managers are allowed to make one more change in
extra-time if they have already made three previous
swaps.
The law came into effect from the quarter-final stage of
this season’s competition, but was not put into practice
until a last-four encounter at Wembley.
Pep Guardiola had already replaced David Silva in
normal time, with the Spanish playmaker forced off early
through injury.
He then shuffled his pack further in extra-time, with
Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho making way for Fabian
Delph and Fernando.
City were, however, to then fall behind to an Alexis
Sanchez effort, with the clock ticking as they trailed 2-1.
As a result, Guardiola opted to throw on Nigeria
international striker Iheanacho in the hope of finding a
late leveller.
The move did not pay off, as City came up short against
the Gunners, but it did write a new piece of
English football history.
Ayr United had previously become the first side in
Britain to make such a change, in a Scottish Cup clash
with Queen's Park in January.
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