Manchester City’s Erling Braut Haaland celebrates a purpose with Kevin De Bruyne in the FA Cup fifth spherical match in opposition to Luton Town on February 27, 2024
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Erling Haaland roared again to his greatest kind with a five-goal salvo as Manchester City thumped Luton Town 6-2 at Kenilworth Road to achieve the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Tuesday.
Luton had no reply to the marauding Norwegian who bagged his eighth City hat-trick earlier than halftime after which scored twice extra after the break to kill off a stirring Luton revival.
The 23-year-old Haaland’s first 4 targets have been all created by Kevin De Bruyne. Mateo Kovacic additionally bought on the scoresheet for holders City who’re unbeaten in 18 video games in all competitions.
Luton did threaten an unlikely comeback when Jordan Clark discovered the highest nook with a chic effort on the stroke of halftime and netted once more early in the second half to make it 3-2. But a powerful City facet immediately discovered one other gear to cruise into the hat for the final eight.
First since George Best
Haaland turned the primary top-flight participant to attain five targets in an FA Cup tie since George Best struck six for Manchester United in opposition to Northampton Town in 1970.
The solely blemish for City, who face Manchester United in the Premier league on Sunday, was an damage to Jack Grealish who was pressured off in the opening interval.
Haaland had scored solely five targets in his earlier 11 appearances for City — a spell interrupted by a foot damage that some recommended had taken the sting off his sport.
But he answered any doubters in emphatic vogue with a sensational show of centre ahead play.
De Bruyne genius
City meant enterprise from the beginning and went forward in the fourth minute as Matheus Nunes performed in De Bruyne who in the reduction of an ideal move for Haaland to fireside previous Tim Krul.
De Bruyne performed Haaland via in the 18th minute to make it 2-0 and Haaland’s hat-trick purpose was nearly a carbon copy as he once more surged on to a De Bruyne move to dink a shot over Krul.
Clark gave the house followers some cheer when he curled an ideal shot previous Stefan Ortega and Luton punished City for some slack defending simply after the restart with Clark ending effectively.
But Haaland tapped in a De Bruyne move a few minutes later after which grabbed his fifth from Bernardo Silva’s help earlier than being substituted, a lot to Luton’s aid.
Second-tier leaders Leicester City joined Pep Guardiola’s facet in the quarter-finals as they beat Premier League Bournemouth 1-0.
