Manchester City effortlessly secured their spot in the FA Cup semifinals, triumphing over Liverpool with a dominant 4-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland registered a hat trick, and Antoine Semenyo also found the back of the net, as Pep Guardiola’s squad clinched their place in the final four for an unprecedented eighth consecutive year.
All of City’s scores occurred during a formidable 18-minute period spanning both sides of the half-time interval.
Mohamed Salah, making his first appearance since announcing his impending summer departure from Anfield, encapsulated Liverpool’s dismal outing. The Egyptian forward squandered two prime opportunities and subsequently witnessed a second-half penalty denied by James Trafford.
This outcome provided City with an ideal beginning to a critical sequence of matches, with significant Premier League encounters against Chelsea and Arsenal scheduled in the forthcoming fortnight.
Liverpool, conversely, must swiftly regroup as they brace for a challenging Champions League away fixture against current holders Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
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Haaland Displays Renewed Acuity
Haaland’s struggles since the beginning of the year are extensively documented. He received what Norway manager Stale Solbakken termed “special attention” during the international break and was requested to participate in only one of the two fixtures.
Based on Saturday’s performance, the supplementary rest appears to have benefited him. After confidently converting a penalty to grant City the lead, he appeared to revert to his previous form with the manner in which he netted his second. Semenyo’s delivery was lofted into the penalty area, and Haaland surged past Ibrahima Konaté to deftly nod his header into the corner. He notched a third after the break, marking his first City hat trick since August 2024.
His second goal’s execution was quintessential Haaland – yet it represents the kind of strike he has found challenging to achieve since December.
This portends well for City. Their Champions League elimination by Real Madrid has cleared their fixture list, and Haaland stands to gain from the additional time for recuperation between games.
Should he manage to regain the form he exhibited prior to Christmas, City will possess an opportunity to append the FA Cup and the Premier League title to their Carabao Cup – which is already securely in their trophy collection following their victory over title adversaries Arsenal. — Rob Dawson
Salah’s Valedictory Circuit Commences Poorly
If this marked the commencement of Salah’s farewell journey, it is reasonable to surmise that his concluding chapter will not adequately honor what has been one of Liverpool’s most illustrious careers of all time.
An expectation had existed in certain circles that, having declared his departure from Anfield at the season’s conclusion, Salah’s final weeks on Merseyside would grant him the liberty to perform with increased freedom and inventive flair. Thus far, this does not appear to be materializing.
Similar to many of his Liverpool colleagues, Salah commenced the match strongly at the Etihad Stadium, but the initial indication of his diminishing prowess emerged when he botched Liverpool’s first significant scoring chance, sending it wide to a chorus of taunts from the City faithful within 15 minutes. His fortunes did not ameliorate thereafter. He directed a curled attempt considerably wide of the post before witnessing his penalty saved by Trafford and eventually being substituted.
Having previously contributed to 21 Liverpool goals against City (13 goals and eight assists), Salah has historically proven a formidable adversary for Guardiola; however, his latest unimpactful display underscored why a separation this summer might serve the best interests of all parties. — Lindop
Strain Intensifies on Liverpool Manager Slot
As the City players circulated the ball with humiliating ease during the second half, the home supporters serenaded Slot with a chant: “You’re getting sacked in the morning.”
This is a refrain the Liverpool head coach has become accustomed to hearing this term as his team’s season has dramatically deviated from its intended path. Earlier in the campaign, such chants were lighthearted, but they now carry an increasingly ominous tone for Slot, who oversaw his most significant defeat as Liverpool manager on Saturday afternoon.
Liverpool’s proprietors, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), have consistently maintained their support for the Dutchman despite the team’s difficulties this season, acknowledging that injuries, squad transformations, and sheer bad luck have all rendered his assignment considerably tougher. While it is accurate that substantial mitigating factors exist for Liverpool’s subpar campaign, the persistently poor performances and inconsistent outcomes make it challenging to present a compelling argument for Slot to retain his position long-term.
Should Liverpool endure a similarly humiliating elimination in the Champions League, it becomes difficult to foresee how he could regain the backing of an already disheartened fanbase. — Lindop
Liverpool No Longer ‘Mentality Powerhouses’
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Virgil van Dijk: I regret this for the supporters following loss to Man City
Virgil van Dijk contemplates Liverpool’s 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals.
For Liverpool, this represented a familiar narrative. Having journeyed to the Etihad as underdogs, Slot’s squad performed capably during the initial half-hour and arguably generated the two most significant scoring opportunities of the match through Salah and Hugo Ekitike.
It appeared the contest was perfectly balanced for a closely fought battle until Virgil van Dijk’s awkward challenge on Nico O’Reilly resulted in City being awarded a penalty. From the moment Haaland propelled the hosts into the lead, it became evident there would only be one victor.
As they have frequently done this season, Liverpool faltered when confronted with adversity and further diminished their prospects of recovery by conceding a second goal in the concluding moments of first-half stoppage time. Their subsequent collapse after the intermission signifies they have now triumphed in merely two of the 19 matches this season where they conceded the initial goal (last season they secured seven wins out of 24).
A team once characterized as “mentality powerhouses” under former manager Jürgen Klopp now seems completely unprepared to cope with any form of setback. Liverpool’s deficiency in resilience has already proven costly this season. Without a substantial enhancement in that aspect, the culmination of this tumultuous campaign could escalate into catastrophe. — Beth Lindop
Guardiola Establishes Unprecedented 150-Year FA Cup Benchmark
Guardiola frequently asserts his desire for “all the achievements” by the time he eventually departs City, and he has just added another to his collection.
His squad has now triumphed in their last 18 home fixtures in the FA Cup – surpassing a benchmark that has endured for nearly 150 years.
Clapham Rovers claimed 17 home cup victories between December 1873 and February 1881. Such a distant past means Clapham Rovers no longer exist, having been disbanded in 1914 after the onset of the First World War.
Their triumph over Liverpool also guaranteed an eighth successive semifinal appearance, extending their own record of seven, which was established last season.
Guardiola’s City have not suffered a defeat in an FA Cup tie away from Wembley since their elimination by Wigan Athletic in 2018. With one additional victory this season, City will become the inaugural team to reach four consecutive FA Cup finals.
Considering he has also claimed the Carabao Cup five times, Guardiola’s performance in domestic cup competitions throughout his tenure in England is extraordinary.
Another journey to Wembley awaits, presenting another opportunity to forge even greater history. — Dawson