Manchester City booked another Wembley Stadium visit after a dominant 4-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Etihad Stadium, with Erling Haaland hitting a hat-trick and Antoine Semenyo also scoring as Liverpool’s hopes faded during Mohamed Salah’s difficult start to a farewell tour.

The scoreline grew after Salah missed a second-half penalty, denied by James Trafford following a foul on Hugo Ekitike by Matheus Nunes, adding further frustration for Liverpool in a tie where City were ruthless once they moved in front before half-time and never allowed the visitors back.

City’s breakthrough arrived in the 39th minute from the penalty spot when Nico O’Reilly was bundled over by Virgil van Dijk, and Haaland calmly sent Giorgi Mamardashvili the wrong way, before the Norway forward struck again on the stroke of half-time, meeting a precise Semenyo cross with a firm header.

The second half opened with City intensifying control as Semenyo added the third goal just five minutes after the restart, lifting a deft finish over the advancing Liverpool goalkeeper, and Haaland completed the hat-trick in the 57th minute, arriving for O’Reilly’s low cutback and guiding a composed finish.

The contest had started at high tempo, with Liverpool threatening first when Abdukodir Khusanov produced an important block to stop Salah’s effort inside the penalty area, while City almost punished Liverpool soon after, only for Rayan Cherki’s heavy first touch to waste a clear opening created by Bernardo Silva’s through ball.

Once the early exchanges settled, the statistics reflected City’s superiority, as Pep Guardiola’s side generated 2.5 expected goals from 11 shots, compared with Liverpool’s 1.43 xG from the same number of attempts, underlining how City created clearer opportunities while also limiting Liverpool’s most dangerous moments.

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Haaland’s individual data highlighted the level of efficiency, with 1.76 expected goals from three shots, scoring with every attempt and recording the fewest touches of any City starter, just 16, yet still shaping the quarter-final more than any other player in an attack full of movement and direct running.

Since joining City in July 2022, Haaland has now produced 12 hat-tricks in all competitions, the most of any player across Europe’s top five leagues, moving one ahead of Harry Kane on 11, while Liverpool became the 11th different opponent against which Haaland has scored at least three goals for City.

Haaland’s latest treble also means the striker is the first player to hit five goals against Liverpool in all competitions within a single season since Matt Le Tissier achieved the feat during the 1993-94 campaign, adding another statistical landmark to a performance that sends City to Wembley with strong momentum.

The result leaves City preparing for another Wembley occasion in this FA Cup campaign with Haaland in prolific form, while Liverpool must reflect on a tie where Salah’s early blocked chance and missed penalty summed up a quarter-final that slipped away during key moments at both ends of the pitch.