Edited by Paul Elegbeleye
In a match we can describe as a clash of titans, Haaland turned the game into a one-man show.
He was the player of the week. What did he do to earn this title? On Saturday, Erling Haaland thrashed Liverpool with his brilliant hat-trick. This is his 28th career treble and 12th Hat-trick since he joined Man City. City reached the FA semi-finals with a 4-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium. It seems the Norwegian striker was ready to silence his critics.
Currently, Haaland has the highest hat-tricks among players from the big five European Leagues. Where are his critics? I hope they have nothing to say now. Man City has set a new record by winning its consecutive home FA Cup matches, with the latest being against Liverpool
Liverpool made a good start, however, by the 14th minute, Mohammed Salah missed a golden opportunity to score. What could have been a six-yard penalty shot was saved by Man City’s goalkeeper, James Trafford. Salah should have done better; it’s a huge disappointment for Arne Slot’s team. Who wouldn’t be? The team missed many chances.
Table of Contents
First Half Dominance
In the past seven matches, Erling Haaland had only scored one goal. Tongues were already wagging. However, he netted twice before the end of the first half. It was a major comeback to silence those who assumed he was slacking.
For the first 30 minutes, both sides were neutral as no one netted a ball. Liverpool looked composed with a solid appearance. They created many chances with Mohamed Salah. However, Nicole O’ Riley baited Virgil van Dijk into a foul, and this changed the momentum and tempo of the game. At the 39th minute, after Dijk tripped Nicole, without delay, Haaland converted it to a penalty. According to Sky News, this foul, followed by the goal crumbled Liverpool’s strong defence system and they lost composure.
At 45+2 minutes, just as both opponents and fans were awaiting the whistle to end the first half, Haaland struck again. He hit the net with a header, putting Man City in a 2:0 leading position before the end of the first half.
Second Half: Completing the Hat-trick
If Liverpool had hopes for a comeback, they disappeared in the first five minutes of the second half. At the 50th minute, Semenyo swept the ball into the net. He scored the third goal for his team. However, it didn’t end there.
At 57 minutes, Erling Haaland struck again, completing his hat-trick. This was with a powerful shot outside the underside of the crossbar. He headed the cross from Antoine Semenyo. Liverpool, who was yet to recover from the double score in the first half was further crumbled and humbled. It was a complete thrashing. Liverpool had many chances but couldn’t convert any of them into a goal.
Salah tried to score a consolation goal. At the 65th minute, Man City’s goalkeeper preserved the clean sheet by saving Mohammed Salah’s penalty. At the 77th minute, he was substituted by Omar Marmoush. Skysports.com reported, “this match is Salah’s last game with Liverpool as he will leave the club at the end of the 2025/26 season”.
Also Read: Carabao Cup Final: Arsenal vs Man City Tactical Preview
Summary
The last time Man City lost a game at Etihad Stadium was eleven years ago. This was when they played Middlesbrough. Ever since coach Guardiola became the boss of the team about a decade ago, Man City has been in the spotlight. Within this period, the team has won 44 out of the 55 FA matches played.
Bbc.com/sports confirmed that Haaland will lead Man City’s Premier League and FA Cup charge in the next few months. His dominant hat-trick added to his list. He now has a record of 46 goals in 50 matches both for his club and country. As the team continues their quest to become champions, they will be moving to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-finals.
Also Read: Liverpool ‘gave up’ during 4-0 defeat by Man City
