Erling Haaland delivered a scintillating performance with a clinical hat-trick as Manchester City swept aside Liverpool 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, booking their place in the FA Cup semi-finals and piling pressure on Reds boss Arne Slot.
In a dominant display, Pep Guardiola’s side proved too sharp and ruthless for a Liverpool team that started brightly but ultimately collapsed under sustained pressure. Haaland struck twice before the break and completed his treble in the second half, while Antoine Semenyo added a third goal to cap a miserable afternoon for the visitors.
Liverpool began with intent, creating early chances through Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah, but their inability to convert opportunities proved costly. Salah in particular squandered a golden chance from close range, setting the tone for a frustrating outing.
City seized control late in the first half when Nico O’Reilly won a penalty after being tripped by Virgil van Dijk. Haaland stepped up and calmly slotted home the opener in the 39th minute. The Norwegian doubled City’s lead just before half-time, meeting a precise cross with a well-timed header to leave Liverpool reeling.
More Read
The hosts continued their dominance after the interval. Semenyo effectively ended the contest five minutes into the second half with a composed finish after breaking through Liverpool’s defence. Haaland then completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute, firing home emphatically to underline City’s superiority.
Liverpool’s woes deepened when Salah saw his second-half penalty saved by City goalkeeper James Trafford, summing up a dismal performance from the Reds. Frustration spilled over as sections of the home crowd taunted manager Arne Slot, whose side have now won just two of their last seven matches in all competitions.
More Read
The defeat leaves Liverpool’s season hanging in the balance. Currently sitting fifth in the Premier League and battling for a Champions League spot, Slot faces mounting pressure ahead of a crucial European clash against Paris Saint-Germain next week.
For Manchester City, the victory marks their eighth consecutive FA Cup semi-final appearance and extends their remarkable home run in the competition to 18 straight wins. Guardiola’s men appear to be peaking at the right time as they aim to salvage silverware from a challenging campaign.
With renewed momentum, City will now set their sights on lifting the FA Cup once again, while Liverpool must regroup quickly to keep their season from unravelling further.
