Haaland Leads City Past Liverpool 4-0 Blowout/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Erling Haaland scored an 18-minute hat trick as Manchester City crushed Liverpool 4-0. The win sends City to a record eighth consecutive FA Cup semifinal. Mohamed Salah missed a penalty as Liverpool’s struggles continued.
- Manchester City defeats Liverpool 4-0
- Erling Haaland scored an 18-minute hat trick
- City reaches eighth straight FA Cup semifinal
- Mohamed Salah misses penalty
- Antoine Semenyo adds goal and assist
- Liverpool pressure grows on manager Arne Slot
- City extends FA Cup home winning streak
- Guardiola absent due to touchline suspension
- City recently won English League Cup
- Semifinal draw scheduled Sunday
Erling Haaland delivered a devastating performance Saturday, scoring an 18-minute hat trick to lead Manchester City to a dominant 4-0 victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals.
The emphatic win secured City’s place in the semifinals for a record eighth consecutive season and extended their impressive run of domestic cup success.
Haaland opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 39th minute, calmly converting after Liverpool conceded a foul in the box. The Norwegian striker doubled City’s lead just before halftime, rising to head home a cross from Antoine Semenyo in first-half stoppage time.
City carried that momentum into the second half. Semenyo added another goal in the 50th minute, capitalizing on Liverpool’s defensive lapses to make it 3-0 and effectively put the game out of reach.
Haaland then completed his hat trick in the 57th minute, sweeping home a rebound after the ball ricocheted off the crossbar. The three goals marked Haaland’s first hat trick of the season and his 12th since joining Manchester City in 2022.
“This club has to win trophies,” Haaland said after the match, emphasizing City’s ambition to add more silverware this season.
Manchester City assistant coach Pep Lijnders, who filled in while Pep Guardiola served a touchline suspension, described Haaland as a “machine” following his dominant display.
City’s victory came in their first match since lifting the English League Cup two weeks earlier after defeating Arsenal at Wembley Stadium. The team is now set to return to Wembley later this month for the FA Cup semifinals.
Liverpool, meanwhile, endured a frustrating afternoon highlighted by missed opportunities and defensive breakdowns. Mohamed Salah, who recently announced he will leave the club after nine successful seasons, failed to capitalize on several chances.
His best opportunity came from the penalty spot in the 64th minute, but Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford made a strong save to deny him. The miss summed up Liverpool’s difficult performance.
The defeat also increases pressure on Liverpool manager Arne Slot, whose team struggled to match City’s intensity and attacking precision.
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai acknowledged the team’s shortcomings after the match.
“The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough, the mentality wasn’t there enough,” Szoboszlai said. “None of us were there as much as we could.”
Many Liverpool supporters began leaving the Etihad Stadium after City scored their fourth goal, reflecting the one-sided nature of the contest.
The victory also marked Manchester City’s 18th consecutive home win in FA Cup matches, a streak dating back to 2017. The club also set a new record by reaching eight straight FA Cup semifinals, surpassing previous marks.
Manchester City now shifts focus to the semifinals, with the draw scheduled Sunday following West Ham’s matchup against Leeds.
Elsewhere in the quarterfinals, Chelsea is set to host third-tier Port Vale, while Arsenal will travel to face second-tier Southampton. The outcomes of those matches will complete the semifinal lineup.
With Haaland in top form and City continuing its dominant run, the club remains firmly on track to compete for multiple trophies this season.
More on Sports
Comments are closed.