Manchester City progressed to the FA Cup semifinals for an unprecedented eighth consecutive season after Erling Haaland netted a treble, as they overwhelmed Liverpool 4-0.
Antoine Semenyo likewise found the net, aiding City’s sustained pursuit of another domestic triple crown through a dominant performance at the Etihad Stadium.
For Liverpool, it marked yet another gloomy afternoon in what has been a disappointing season. Their chagrin deepened when James Trafford thwarted Mohamed Salah from the 12-yard mark.
This encounter was Salah’s inaugural appearance since declaring his departure from the Merseysiders at the season’s conclusion, certainly not the start he envisioned for his concluding fixtures.
The outcome intensified scrutiny on Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, particularly with a formidable Champions League journey to Paris Saint-Germain looming.
Facing City was always anticipated as an arduous challenge; they had already prevailed over Liverpool on two occasions this season and had remained undefeated in FA Cup home ties under Pep Guardiola.
Initially, the teams seemed balanced, but once City seized the lead, they gained unstoppable momentum. Haaland emerged as the preeminent player, securing his twelfth treble for the club.
Both teams created early chances, with Jérémy Doku and Hugo Ekitike sending shots astray at opposing ends, all under the gaze of an unexpected spectator, Sir Alex Ferguson.
Matheus Nunes unleashed an attempt towards Giorgi Mamardashvili, who swiftly instigated a rapid offensive that sent Salah clear towards the net.
The Egyptian appeared destined to find the net, yet, perhaps hurried by Abdukodir Khusanov’s sliding tackle, he sent his effort wildly off course. Ekitike, too, failed to hit the mark.
Rayan Cherki fell after a tackle from Milos Kerkez, but City’s claim for a spot-kick was dismissed.
Guardiola, observing a review in the stand while serving his pitchside suspension, seemed bewildered, though VAR upheld the ruling.
However, Michael Oliver did award a penalty when Nico O’Reilly was fouled after eluding Virgil van Dijk.
With minimal contention, Haaland slotted it away from the penalty mark, marking only his second goal in seven appearances, yet his 31st for the season.
Haaland scored his second of the match in first-half additional time. This came after Cherki fed Semenyo with a deftly threaded ball, allowing the Norwegian to nod the Ghana international’s cross beyond Mamardashvili.
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Following halftime, City accelerated their pace, and Semenyo extended their advantage, sprinting to meet another superb delivery from Cherki and lobbing it past Mamardashvili.
With spirits high, Semenyo tried to chip the goalkeeper from midfield, his ambitious effort barely sailing high.
Haaland sealed his hat-trick within the first hour, securing a fourth goal for City by smashing an effort in via the underside of the bar from an O’Reilly pull-back.
The City faithful revelled in the moment, erupting in a Poznan celebration. Meanwhile, Cherki tried a few tricks within his own penalty area.
The mood was dampened when Nunes brought down Ekitike, but it was reinvigorated when Trafford parried Salah’s penalty.
The match then unfolded towards its end without further incident, though not before the unusual spectacle of Cherki, seated among the substitutes after being withdrawn, sporting his international teammate Ekitike’s jersey.