Manchester City F.C. delivered a dominant display at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, defeating Liverpool F.C. 4-0 to secure a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Erling Haaland led the charge with a hat-trick, scoring twice before the break and adding a third in the second half, while Antoine Semenyo also found the net in a one-sided quarter-final contest.
The result adds further pressure on Liverpool manager Arne Slot, whose side have now managed only two victories in their last seven matches across all competitions.
Liverpool’s difficult afternoon worsened when Mohamed Salah failed to convert from the penalty spot, with his effort saved by City goalkeeper James Trafford.
Speaking after the defeat, Slot admitted his side had endured another disappointing outing, noting that recent setbacks have tested the team’s resilience.
The Merseyside club now turn attention to a crucial UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash against Paris Saint-Germain F.C., where a strong response will be expected.
City opened the scoring in the 39th minute after Virgil van Dijk brought down Nico O’Reilly inside the area, allowing Haaland to calmly convert from the spot.
The Norwegian striker doubled the advantage just before half-time, meeting a precise delivery from Semenyo with a well-placed header.
Liverpool’s defensive struggles continued after the interval when Semenyo finished neatly following a through ball from Rayan Cherki.
Haaland then completed his treble shortly after the hour mark, finishing from close range after another contribution from O’Reilly.
The victory sends City into the FA Cup semi-finals for an eighth consecutive season and extends their impressive home run in the competition to 18 straight wins
Elsewhere, Chelsea F.C. produced an emphatic 7-0 victory over Port Vale F.C. at Stamford Bridge.
Goals from Jorrel Hato, João Pedro, Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Estevão Willian and Alejandro Garnacho sealed a convincing win for manager Liam Rosenior.
