Haaland hat-trick leads Manchester City past Liverpool 4-0 in FA Cup

Manchester City defeated Liverpool 4-0 Saturday at the Etihad Stadium in an FA Cup quarterfinal, advancing to the semifinals for the eighth consecutive season.

Erling Haaland scored three goals for City. He opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 39th minute after Virgil van Dijk fouled Nico O'Reilly in the area. Haaland added a second goal before halftime, then completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute.

Antoine Semenyo scored City's fourth goal in the 50th minute. Mohamed Salah missed a penalty for Liverpool in the 64th minute when the score was already 4-0.

City manager Pep Guardiola was absent from the bench due to suspension and watched from the stands alongside his daughter. Despite the absence, City controlled the match throughout. Liverpool began with early pressure and technical cohesion in attack, applying high pressing that initially unsettled City. However, City gradually imposed itself and capitalized on defensive errors, particularly from van Dijk.

Alexis Mac Allister, who plays for Liverpool, entered the match in the 22nd minute of the second half.

The victory extends City's pursuit of multiple domestic titles this season. City won the League Cup earlier, defeating Arsenal in the final before the international break. The club remains in contention for the Premier League title and is now two matches away from securing another trophy with the FA Cup.

Liverpool, managed by Arne Slot, focused its preparation on the Champions League. The club faces Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals in midweek. The defeat came four days before that fixture in France.

Haaland's hat-trick was his first for City since August 31, 2024. The Norwegian striker had appeared in two matches during the recent international break, playing in a 0-0 draw with Switzerland but missing a 2-1 loss to the Netherlands.