Manchester City defeated Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals, with Haaland stealing the show with a hat-trick. The heavy defeat put more pressure on Liverpool coach Arne Slaughter, whose side looked out of shape throughout the game.City took control late in the first half when Haaland scored from the penalty spot after fouling Nico O’Reilly. Before half-time, he scored another well-timed header. Liverpool struggled to respond and things got worse when Antoine Semenho scored a third goal after the break.Haaland then completed his hat-trick with a powerful shot to seal the victory. Liverpool’s misery was on display when Mohamed Salah missed a penalty which was saved by Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford.The defeat worsened Liverpool’s record, which has seen them win just two of their past seven games. Fans have made their displeasure known, and Slaughter is now facing growing criticism. Looking back on the difficult phase, he said: “We had a lot of setbacks and disappointments, but that’s part of being a footballer and being a human being. When things are not so positive, you have to be there.”He also admitted that “it was very disappointing to go out, not only the way but also the score. It’s another big disappointment for us,” adding, “The only good thing is that we didn’t concede more goals.”While Manchester City enter the semi-finals in strong form, Liverpool must quickly regroup ahead of a crucial Champions League tie with their season at risk of slipping further.
