<\/p>\n
Erling Haaland hit a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Liverpool 4-0 on Saturday to reach the FA Cup semi-finals and increase the pressure on Reds boss Arne Slot.<\/p>\n
Haaland netted twice late in the first half of the quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium and completed his treble after the interval following an Antoine Semenyo strike.<\/p>\n
With Liverpool trailing by four, Mohamed Salah had a penalty saved by City goalkeeper James Trafford to compound a miserable afternoon for the under-fire Slot.<\/p>\n
Liverpool’s tame surrender was a bitter blow to Slot, who had to endure chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from gloating City fans.<\/p>\n
They head to Paris Saint-Germain for the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday with Slot desperately needing a victory over the holders to keep the critics at bay.<\/p>\n
Slot’s team, who have just two wins in their last seven matches in all competitions, are fifth in the Premier League and far from certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League.<\/p>\n
It is a remarkable decline for Slot, who just 12 months ago was on the brink of leading Liverpool to their record-equalling 20th English title.<\/p>\n
City’s ruthless performance took them into the FA Cup semi-finals for an eighth successive season.<\/p>\n
After beating Liverpool twice in the Premier League this term, City have enjoyed three successive victories over the Reds for the first time since 1937.<\/p>\n
City have also won 18 consecutive home FA Cup matches, setting a new record in the competition.<\/p>\n
Guardiola’s men have found a rich vein of form at just the right time to salvage their season.<\/p>\n
Trailing Premier League leaders Arsenal by nine points and knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid, City bounced back to beat the Gunners 2-0 in the League Cup final just before the international break.<\/p>\n
Now they can set their sights on winning the FA Cup for the first time since 2023 while retaining an outside chance of catching Arsenal in the title race.<\/p>\n
Liverpool made a bright start but Hugo Ekitike fired just wide from the edge of the area before Salah wasted a golden opportunity in the 14th minute, dragging his shot wide from just six yards out.<\/p>\n
Ekitike lashed wastefully wide with a snap-shot from 10 yards as Liverpool paid the price for failing to make the pressure count.<\/p>\n
Fresh from scoring twice in the League Cup final, Nico O’Reilly was key to City’s 39th-minute opener.<\/p>\n
Matheus Nunes picked out O’Reilly in the Liverpool area and as he twisted away from Virgil van Dijk, the defender’s clumsy trip conceded a penalty that Haaland converted in clinical fashion.<\/p>\n
Haaland had scored just once in his previous six games in all competitions.<\/p>\n
But the prolific Norway striker is never far from a hot streak and he doubled City’s advantage on the stroke of half-time.<\/p>\n
Rayan Cherki found Semenyo’s run and he lofted a pin-point cross towards Haaland, who made a perfectly-timed run in front of Ibrahima Konate to glance a superb header past Giorgi Mamardashvili.<\/p>\n
Liverpool were in disarray and Semenyo landed the knockout blow five minutes after the interval.<\/p>\n
Cherki’s pass sent Semenyo sprinting in behind the flat-footed Van Dijk to clip a deft finish over Mamardashvili.<\/p>\n
Haaland completed the 28th treble of his career in the 57th minute, drilling home via the underside of the bar after O’Reilly teed him up 12 yards from goal.<\/p>\n
On a prolonged farewell tour after announcing he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, Salah produced the latest in a long line of lacklustre performances.<\/p>\n
The Egyptian’s struggles were encapsulated by his second-half penalty miss after Nunes fouled Ekitike.<\/p>\n
Later on Saturday, Chelsea host third tier strugglers Port Vale and Premier League leaders Arsenal visit Championship side Southampton.<\/p>\n
West Ham meet Leeds at the London Stadium in the last quarter-final on Sunday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n