Haaland Treble Inspires Man City Into FA Cup Semi-Finals

An Erling Haaland hat-trick and Antoine Semenyo effort fired magnificent Manchester City to a superb 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final win at home to Liverpool and into a record eighth successive Wembley semi-final.

Pitted against the reigning Premier League champions, City were in imperious form at the Etihad – and, as so often – it was Haaland who proved the decisive talisman.

The Norwegian opened the scoring with a 39th minute penalty after Nico O’Reilly had been brought down by Virgil van Dijk.

The City striker then struck again in stunning fashion in first half injury time, powering home a superb header.

City further extended the advantage four minutes after the restart when Semenyo guided home a delightful chip from a Rayan Cherki assist.

And with the Etihad party under way, Haaland then sealed the 12th treble of his City career by firing home on 57 minutes, via the underside of the bar, to set the seal on a true afternoon to savour.

City were making their first appearance in the wake of lifting the Carabao Cup late last month and seeking to maintain the feel-good factor against Arne Slot’s visitors.

Not surprisingly given the calibre of talent on display on both sides, it was an intense, high octane opening with early chances at both ends.

First City breathed a sigh of relief after Mohamed Salah, on what was his farewell appearance at the Etihad for Liverpool, blazed a gilt-edged opportunity wide on 14 minutes after the Egyptian had latched onto a long clearance by Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The Blues then carved out a fine opening with a threaded Bernardo Silva pass finding the onrushing Rayan Cherki only for the Frenchman to be denied by the Liverpool shot stopper.

It was end-to-end stuff with Hugo Ekitike then rifling an inviting 28th minute effort over the bar after the ball fell to him in the middle of the Blues’ box following a Salah cross.

City though were not deflected from the task in hand and we carved open the key breakthrough on 39 minutes, opening the scoring thanks to a Haaland penalty.

Referee Michael Oliver had no hesitation pointing to the spot after Nico O’Reilly had been brought down by Virgil van Dijk and Haaland made no mistake from the spot, replicating his match winning penalty in the Premier League clash at Anfield in February.

Things got even better for City in first half injury time as the Norwegian struck again in quite brilliant fashion to double the advantage.

A cute Cherki pass put Semenyo in space on the right side of the box and from his pinpoint cross Haaland rose to guide home a stunning header into the left corner of the net.

City were now flying and Pep Guardiola’s men further extended our advantage four minutes after the restart through Semenyo.

The Ghanaian winger timed his run to perfection as he latched onto a delightful Cherki through ball before lofting a precise finish over Mamardashvili.

The rampant Blues were now in an unstoppable mood and it was no surprise when Haaland then struck again to seal his 12th City hat-trick, making it 33 club goals in total this term.

It had been a quiet afternoon for James Trafford but the City keeper then demonstrated his class on 63 minutes, diving low to save a Salah penalty after Ekitike had been brought down by Matheus Nunes.

It served to set the seal on arguably City’s most impressive display of the season and one to truly savour.