Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah missed a penalty, and City won 4-0 thanks to three goals from Erling Haaland and a goal from Antoine Semenyo.
Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as Manchester City beat Liverpool 4-0 to reach the FA Cup semi-finals, increasing pressure on Reds manager Arn Slott.
Haaland scored twice late in the first half of Saturday’s quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium and made it three after the interval after Antoine Semenyo’s goal.
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Mohamed Salah’s penalty was saved by City goalkeeper James Trafford as Liverpool chased a four-goal lead, making a miserable afternoon worse for the bottom slots.
Liverpool’s meek surrender was a blow to Slott. Slott had to endure taunts from smiling City fans who told him he would be fired in the morning.
They face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, but Slott desperately needs a win against the holders to ward off his critics.
Slott’s side have won just two of their last seven games in all competitions, but are fifth in the Premier League and qualification for next season’s Champions League is far from certain.
It’s a notable decline for Slott, who just 12 months ago was on the brink of leading Liverpool to a record 20th English title.
City’s relentless performances saw them reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the eighth consecutive season.
Liverpool started brightly, but Hugo Ekitike’s shot from the edge of the area went just wide. Salah squandered a golden opportunity in the 14th minute when he dragged his shot wide from just six yards out.
Ekitike’s snap shot from 9 meters (10 yards) went wide and Liverpool paid the price for ignoring the pressure.
Nico O’Reilly, who had just scored twice in City’s recent League Cup final win over Arsenal, was key to City’s 39th-minute opener.
Matheus Nunez picked out O’Reilly inside the Liverpool area, and when he twisted away from Virgil van Dijk, a clumsy defender conceded a penalty, which Haaland clinically converted.
Haaland had scored just one goal in his last six games in all competitions. However, the prolific Norwegian striker was nowhere close to matching his form and doubled City’s advantage just before half-time.
Rayan Cherki spotted Semenyo’s run and sent a pinpoint cross towards Haaland, who timed it perfectly to run in front of Ibrahima Konate and fire a stunning header past Giorgi Mamadashvili.
Liverpool were confused and Semenyo scored the winning goal five minutes after the interval.
Cherki’s pass allowed Semenyo to dive in behind a stomping Van Dijk and finish Mamadashvili deftly.
Haaland completed his 28th career triple in the 57th minute, firing home through the underside of the bar after being teed up by O’Reilly 11 meters (12 yards) from goal.
Salah produced the latest in a string of lackluster performances during his lengthy farewell tour after announcing he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.
The Egyptians’ struggles were encapsulated in a late penalty miss after Nunez fouled Ekitike.
Meanwhile, Haaland praised his teammates for bouncing back from a difficult early period and taking control of the game.
“To be honest, we struggled a little bit in the first half, but after the half-hour mark we picked things up and in the end it was a great game at home,” Haaland told broadcaster TNT Sports.
“Another Wembley trip for us, it’s a great and important one.”
Asked if it was City’s best performance of the season, he said: “I think so. Between 30 and 60 minutes it was one of our better performances.”
Later on Saturday, Chelsea host third-tier strugglers Port Vale, while Premier League leaders Arsenal visit Championship side Southampton.
West Ham face Leeds at the London Stadium in Sunday’s final quarter-final.
