Haaland Hat-Trick Powers Man City to 4-0 FA Cup Rout Over Liverpool
Erling Haaland delivered a stunning hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Liverpool 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium, securing a record-extending eighth consecutive FA Cup semi-final appearance. The comprehensive victory, which also featured a goal from Antoine Semenyo, underscored City's relentless pursuit of a second domestic treble while deepening Liverpool's season of frustration.
Salah's Penalty Miss Compounds Liverpool's Misery
Liverpool's dismal afternoon was compounded when Mohamed Salah, making his first appearance since announcing his end-of-season departure, saw a penalty saved by City goalkeeper James Trafford. This miss epitomised a challenging campaign for the Reds, increasing pressure on manager Arne Slot ahead of a daunting Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain.
Watched by an unlikely visitor in Sir Alex Ferguson, the match began evenly, with early threats from Jeremy Doku and Hugo Ekitike. However, City seized control after Haaland converted a penalty, awarded following Nico O'Reilly's turn past Virgil van Dijk. This marked only Haaland's second goal in seven outings but his 31st of the campaign.
City's Dominance Unfolds with Clinical Finishing
Haaland doubled City's lead in first-half stoppage time, heading home a cross from Semenyo after a clever pass by Rayan Cherki. After the break, City intensified their tempo, with Semenyo racing onto another fine Cherki pass to clip the ball over goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili for the third goal.
Confidence soaring, Semenyo even attempted an audacious lob from the centre circle, which narrowly dipped over. Before the hour mark, Haaland completed his treble by crashing a shot off the crossbar from an O'Reilly cutback, sending City fans into a Poznan celebration.
Controversial Moments and Late Drama
The match featured contentious incidents, including a rejected City penalty appeal after Cherki went down under a challenge from Milos Kerkez. Pep Guardiola, serving a touchline ban, appeared perplexed, but VAR upheld the decision. Later, Trafford's punch to deny Salah's spot-kick lifted the atmosphere after Matheus Nunes fouled Ekitike.
The game meandered to its conclusion, but not before the odd sight of Cherki, substituted and on the bench, wearing international teammate Ekitike's shirt. This result highlighted City's formidable home FA Cup record under Guardiola, having never lost such a tie, and solidified their status as favourites for silverware.
