Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool: Haaland hat-trick sends City back to Wembley

Etihad Stadium, Manchester – The FA Cup holders booked a record-extending eighth consecutive semi-final appearance as Erling Haaland’s first hat-trick in the competition and a cool finish from Antoine Semenyo dismantled Liverpool 4-0 in a one-sided quarter-final.

A breathless opening 35 minutes saw Liverpool, unchanged from the side that beat PSG in mid-week, twice go close through Hugo Ekitike and watch Mohamed Salah drag a golden chance wide after being released by Giorgi Mamardashvili’s raking pass. City, meanwhile, were ragged; Rayan Cherki spooned their clearest opening after a sumptuous Bernardo Silva through-ball.

The contest pivoted in the 36th minute. Nico O’Reilly, fresh from his Wembley brace in the Carabao Cup final, surged into the box and was clipped by Virgil van Dijk. Michael Oliver instantly pointed to the spot and Haaland sent Mamardashvili the wrong way for 1-0. Within six minutes the Norwegian struck again, stooping to head in Semenyo’s precise cross and double the advantage before the interval.

Any lingering doubt evaporated four minutes after the restart. Collecting a Cherki slide-rule pass, Semenyo lifted a delicate chip over the advancing keeper for 3-0. Liverpool’s response was brief: Salah saw a low drive parried by James Trafford and, moments later, had a 68th-minute penalty saved by the same goalkeeper after Abdukodir Khusanov felled Ekitike.

City administered the final blow on 70 minutes. A lightning break saw Jérémy Doku feed O’Reilly, whose cut-back was lashed in off the bar by Haaland to complete the match ball. The closing stages resembled a training exercise as Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot emptied their benches ahead of mid-week European assignments.

The result keeps alive City’s quest for a domestic double and extends their cup run to 18 wins in 19 home ties. Liverpool, who arrived on a nine-match unbeaten streak, must regroup quickly before Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg in Paris.