FA Cup quarterfinals: Arsenal stunned by 2nd-tier Southampton and Haaland hat trick downs Liverpool

London – The FA Cup served up a seismic jolt and a statement performance on Sunday as the competition’s last-eight ties concluded. Second-tier Southampton, currently plying their trade outside the Premier League, produced the weekend’s standout upset by eliminating league-leading Arsenal, while Manchester City cruised past Liverpool 4-0 on the back of an 18-minute Erling Haaland hat trick.

At St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton defied the gulf in divisions to topple Mikel Arteta’s table-toppers and book a place in the semifinals. The result deepens Arsenal’s recent cup misery, coming hard on the heels of their prior English loss.

Hours later at the Etihad, City rendered the contest academic inside 20 minutes. Haaland struck three times in the opening 18 minutes to effectively settle the tie, and the hosts added a fourth to complete a resounding 4-0 victory over Jürgen Klopp’s side. The Norwegian’s rapid treble underlined his reputation as one of Europe’s most clinical finishers and propelled the holders into the competition’s final four.

With Southampton’s giant-killing and City’s emphatic advance, the FA Cup semifinal lineup now features a compelling mix of underdog spirit and star power as the road to Wembley narrows.