Match reportLiverpool eliminated from FA Cup after defeat at Manchester City
The first half of the quarter-final at Etihad Stadium was evenly contested until Erling Haaland struck twice in quick succession before the interval.
Antoine Semenyo stretched the hosts’ lead soon after the restart and Haaland further increased it prior to the hour mark.
Mohamed Salah later saw a penalty saved by James Trafford to cap an afternoon of disappointment for Arne Slot’s men.
Team
Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones and Salah came into the Liverpool XI as Slot made three changes.
Liverpool: Mamardashvili, Gomez (Frimpong, 62), Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz (Ngumoha, 67), Szoboszlai, Salah (Chiesa, 77), Jones, Ekitike (Gakpo, 67), Gravenberch (Mac Allister, 67).
Unused subs: Woodman, Robertson, Nyoni, Morrison.
First half
A skip forward and low shot from Jeremy Doku was the only flash of threat from either team in the opening 10 minutes.
Hugo Ekitike clipped wide when slightly unbalanced after a one-two with Florian Wirtz and Matheus Nunes fired one into Giorgi Mamardashvili’s hands, before the game’s first big chance.
A long kick from Liverpool’s goalkeeper swooped right over the City back line for Salah, who got the ball under control inside the area.
As the Egyptian lined up his strike from left of goal, though, Abdukodir Khusanov rescued the hosts with a sliding challenge that deflected the finish away.
City appeals for a penalty when Rayan Cherki hit the ground under a challenge from Milos Kerkez were ignored by the officials as the match began to bubble a little more.
On 27, Jones brought a Salah cross down inside the box and his attempted lay-off bobbled to Ekitike, who swiped it over the far upright.
The deadlock would be broken from a City penalty kick as the referee pointed to the spot for a Virgil van Dijk trip on Nico O’Reilly.
Haaland stepped up to the duel with Mamardashvili and rolled the ball into the bottom right corner.
Liverpool’s challenge was increased two minutes into added time. Haaland was first to meet a Semenyo delivery and flicked a header inside the left post.
Second half
The Reds fell three goals behind within five minutes of the restart.
Cherki slid a pass through for Semenyo to go into a one-v-one with Mamardashvili and the forward dinked the ball past the goalkeeper.
Swiftly at the other end, Trafford made a smart stop to keep out Salah, while the Liverpool No.11 also swept a presentable chance too high after Semenyo’s effort from his own half landed on the roof of the net.
Prior to the hour, Haaland completed his treble to further City’s advantage, scooping a finish in off the crossbar from O’Reilly’s tee-up.
Slot’s side were awarded a 63rd-minute penalty for a foul halting Ekitike’s dribble into the box, but Salah’s driven kick from 12 yards was repelled by Trafford.
The City ’keeper gloved away an Alexis Mac Allister drive from distance and the score remained 4-0, meaning the Reds’ FA Cup hopes are over for this season.