Manchester City 4, Liverpool 0 (FA Cup Quarter Final)
Erling Haaland scored a hat trick and Mo Salah missed a penalty as Manchester City crushed Liverpool to advance to the FA Cup semi finals.
City’s goals came in a 20 minute burst either side of half time. The rout started when Nico O’Reilly was brought down by Virgil van Dijk to concede a penalty – the resulting spot kick was put away by Haaland.
Haaland’s second goal was a work of striker’s art as he used superior movement to get free of his marker and to meet Antoine Semenyo’s cutback from the byline – his glancing header crept in at the back post to double City’s lead just before half time.
City went 3-0 up after Semenyo got on the end of a magical Rayan Chderki through ball to lift a shot past Giorgi Mamardashvili before Haaland completed his hat trick shortly afterwards when he smashed the ball in off the crossbar after a great build up on the left.
Mo Salah had the chance to get his final goal at the Etihad Stadium before he leaves Liverpool this summer but his spot kick was tame and easily saved by James Trafford after Matheus Nunes brought Hugo Ekitke down in the second half.
The Liverpool penalty drama was a footnote on a Blue afternoon though as the Reds were well beaten and City cruised to victory against a side whose demoralised fans were already heading for the exits well before full time.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 4, Liverpool 0 (FA Cup Quarter Final)
James Trafford: 8. In the action early as Liverpool started on the front foot. Saved from Mo Salah in the second half before guessing right and saving a penalty from the Egyptian. Saved a long shot from Alexis Mac Allister.
Matheus Nunes: 7. Confident clearances, up against Hugo Ekitike who stayed on his flank. Conceded a penalty in the second half when be brought down Ekitike but was bailed out by James Trafford who saved the penalty.
Abdudokir Khusanov: 7. Recovered to win the ball off Mo Salah and then deflect his shot wide when he had just James Trafford to beat. Nicke the ball off Hugo Ekitike as he came off the left wing.
Marc Guehi: 7. Covered the left side after Nico O’Reilly pushed up.
Nico O’Reilly: 8. Advanced role, won a penalty off Virgil Van Dijk, searching ball up for Haaland headed away by Virgil van Dijk, set up Haaland’s hat trick with a cross from the left.
Rodri: 7. Controlled midfield well.
Bernardo Silva: 7. Blocked a shot by Dominik Szoboszlai. Great through ball to Rayan Cherki. Also dropped deep when needed.
Antoine Semenyo: 8. Double teamed whenever he got into the final third. One cross had Giorgi Mamardashvili saving on the stretch. Set up Erling Haaland’s header before running through the static Liverpool defence to lift Rayan Cherki’s through ball beyond the reach of Giorgi Mamardashvili. Tried to chip the Liverpool keeper after he saw him off his line.
Rayan Cherki: 8. Mercurial start, almost threaded a ball through for Erling Haaland. Miscontrolled a through ball by Bernardo Silva when clean through. Also upended by Milos Kerkez when on the ball leading to penalty claims which were turned down by Michael Oliver and VAR. Through ball set up Antoine Semenyo in the second half.
Jeremy Doku: 7. Chased every cause. Distraction for Liverpool defenders, involved in Haaland’s hat trick.
Erling Haaland: 9. Fearless penalty to put City into the lead. Glancing header doubled that lead before he completed his 12th City hat trick with a rasping shot which came off the crossbar after Nico O’Reilly
Savinho (on for Jeremy Doku, 62): 6. Tricky stuff down the left.
Nico Gonzalez (on for Rodri, 62): 6. Not much Liverpool resistance left by the time he came on but he worked well in front of the defence.
Tijjani Reijnders (on for Rayan Cherki, 70): 6. Crowded out by Konate after a brilliant through ball by Erling Haaland released him.
Phil Foden (on for Antoine Semenyo, 71): 6. Went to the right flank.
Omar Marmoush (on for Erling Haaland, 77): No time to mark,
GOALS – Manchester City 4, Liverpool 0 (FA Cup Quarter Final)
Man City 1, Liverpool 0: 39. Erling Haaland rolled a penalty into the bottom right corner, sending Giorgi Mamardashvili the wrong way.
Man City 2, Liverpool 0: 45+2. Erling Haaland’s glancing header into the back post beat Giorgi Mamardashvili after Antoine Semenyo’s cross from the touchline found him 8 yards out ahead of his marker.
Man City 3, Liverpool 0: 50. Antoine Semenyo lifted the ball beyond the reach of Giorgi Mamardashvili after getting on the end of a threaded through ball by Rayan Cherki.
Man City 4, Liverpool 0: 57. Erling Haaland has his hat trick after his shot came off the crossbar to go in. Jeremy Doku slipped the ball to Nico O’Reilly who squared it to the City striker who bagged another hat trick against the reeling Reds. Pep is delighted and a Poznan has started in the posh seats.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 4, Liverpool 0 (FA Cup Quarter Final)
Man City: Trafford, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly, Rodri, Silva (C). Semenyo, Cherki, Doku, Haaland
Man City Subs: Donnarumma, Reijnders, Ake, Marmoush, Kovacic, Gonzalez, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Foden
Bookings: Rodri 34 (foul on Hugo Ekitike); Silva 67 (foul on Ryan Gravenberch); Gonzalez 88
Goals: Haaland 39 pen, 45+2, 57; Semenyo 50
Liverpool: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Jones, Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Ekitike
Liverpool Subs: Woodman, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Gakpo, Robertson, Frimpong, Nyoni, Morrison, Ngumoha
Bookings: Gravenberch 24 (foul on Jeremy Doku); Kerkez 65; Konate 87
Referee: Michael Oliver