Erling Haaland hat-trick helps Manchester City to crushing FA Cup win against Liverpool
Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Liverpool 4-0 to power into the FA Cup semi-finals for a record-extending eighth successive season.
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Antoine Semenyo was also on target as City maintained their bid for a second domestic treble with a commanding display at the Etihad Stadium.
It was another dismal afternoon in an underwhelming season for Liverpool and their frustration was compounded when Mohamed Salah was denied from the penalty spot by James Trafford.
Salah was making his first appearance since announcing he would leave the Reds at the end of the season and this was not the way he wanted to begin his final stretch of games.
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The result increased the pressure on Liverpool boss Arne Slot ahead of a daunting Champions League trip to Paris St Germain.
It was always likely to be a tough task against a City that had already beaten them twice this season and had never lost a home FA Cup tie under Pep Guardiola.
The sides appeared evenly matched early on but once City went ahead there was no looking back, with Haaland the stand-out as he grabbed his 12th hat-trick for the club.
Watched by an unlikely visitor in Sir Alex Ferguson, both teams threatened early with Jeremy Doku and Hugo Ekitike driving wide at either end.
Matheus Nunes fired a shot at Giorgi Mamardashvili, who then launched a quick counter-attack which put Salah through on goal.
The Egyptian looked certain to score but – perhaps rushed as Abdukodir Khusanov slid in – screwed his attempt well wide. Ekitike also missed the target.
City had a penalty appeal rejected after Rayan Cherki went down following a challenge from Milos Kerkez.
Guardiola, watching a replay in the stand as he completed a touchline ban, appeared perplexed but VAR backed the decision.
Michael Oliver did point to the spot, however, when Nico O’Reilly was tripped after turning Virgil van Dijk.
There was little debate and Haaland rammed home from 12 yards for only his second goal in seven outings but his 31st for the campaign.
He doubled his tally for the day in first-half stoppage time after Cherki released Semenyo with a cleverly disguised pass and the Norwegian headed the Ghana international’s cross past Mamardashvili.
City upped the tempo further after the break, increasing their lead as Semenyo raced onto another fine pass from Cherki and clipped over Mamardashvili.
With confidence soaring, Semenyo attempted to lob the keeper from the centre circle and his effort only just dipped over.
A fourth goal came before the hour as Haaland completed his treble by crashing in a shot off the crossbar from an O’Reilly cutback.
The City fans lapped it up, breaking out into a Poznan celebration and Cherki attempted some flicks in his own box.
The atmosphere was punctured as Nunes felled Ekitike but lifted again as Trafford punched away Salah’s spot-kick.
The game then meandered to its conclusion but not before the odd sight of Cherki, sat on the bench after being substituted, wearing international team-mate Ekitike’s shirt.