Erling Haaland hat-trick humbles Liverpool as Mo Salah endures nightmare - 5 talking points

MANCHESTER CITY 4-0 LIVERPOOL: Erling Haaland plunders a hat-trick and Mohamed Salah misses a penalty as Pep Guardiola's side ease into the semi finals of the FA Cup

Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates

Erling Haaland bagged a hat-trick for Manchester City(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Erling Haaland piled pressure onto Liverpool manager Arne Slot as his hat-trick eased Manchester City in the last four of the FA Cup. Haaland came into the tie on a dry run, by his own standards, but put Liverpool to the sword.

Liverpool had started the brighter of the two sides, but didn't take their chances. Mohamed Salah dragged his shot well wide after getting on the end of a long ball and Hugo Ekitike blasted a snapshot over the bar from a looseMilos Kerkez was perhaps fortunate not to concede a penalty for a trip on Rayan Cherki. But there was no reprieve when Virgil van Dijk tripped Nico O'Reilly in the box, with Haaland making it 1-0 with a cool penalty.

The Man City goal machine doubled the lead before the break when he headed in a perfect dinked Antoine Semenyo cross. Semenyo made the game safe for City with a delicate chipped finish after being played clean through on goal by Cherki.

City showed no mercy, O'Reilly teeing up Haaland to complete his hat-trick off the underside off the crossbar in the 57th minute. Liverpool were offered the chance of a consolation goal when Matheus Nunes tripped Ekitike in the box, but James Trafford comfortably stopped Salah's penalty. Here are the talking points from the FA Cup quarter final.

READ MORE : Non-league manager sent off for headbutting rival as huge brawl erupts in derby READ MORE : Mohamed Salah next club after Liverpool and everything he's said about his exit

1. Salah's successors must step up

This being the first game since Mohamed Salah announced he is leaving in the summer, there was always going to be a focus on the Egyptian. But Arne Slot's comments in his pre-match press conference also placed a spotlight on his attacking team-mates - those who will assume more responsibility when he leaves.

When asked about how Liverpool would replace Salah, the Dutchman said that while they are scouring the transfer market, the first plan involved getting more from his £320million summer purchases: Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. Salah's goalscoring record from the wing is ridiculous, and while Ekitike and Wirtz showed a promising connection in the first half, their tendency to over-play in dangerous areas and snatch at shooting chances showed the difficulty of the task they will take on next season. Their profligacy was to prove costly.

Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool

Hugo Ekitike will assume greater responsibility when Mo Salah leaves(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

2. O'Reilly's continued improvement

Nico O'Reilly's promise is nothing new, but his complete an utter ease in seemingly any position across the pitch is still worthy of comment. The 21-year-old now has the full confidence of Pep Guardiola, who has fielded him in central midfield and at left-back with similarly impressive results.

On this occasion, O'Reilly was playing - in theory at least - at left-back. Yet he was more often found tucked inside left winger Jeremy Doku, providing support for Haaland. His athleticism and positional flexibility are his stand-out attributes, but O'Reilly's technical ability and calmness were also on show here: minutes after he coolly disarmed a Liverpool attack in his own box, he was drawing a foul from Van Dijk to win a penalty.

He added another feather in his cap by drifting into space and pulling the ball back for Haaland's third as City ran riot.

Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool clashes with Nico O'Reilly of Manchester City

Nico O'Reilly won Manchester City's penalty(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

3. Haaland back to business

Haaland had only scored once in his previous six City matches. Coming back from the international break, he likely felt he had something to prove. And while his first goal came from the penalty spot, his second showed the Norwegian goal machine is still alive and well.

The build-up from Cherki and Semenyo down the right wing unlocked the Liverpool defence, but it was Haaland subtle movement, which bamboozled Ibrahima Konate and his perfectly-placed header which did for Giorgi Mamardashvili. Those were his 31st and 32nd goals of the season for City in his 44th appearance, underlining just how ridiculous any talk of a dip in form really is. He added a 33rd to complete his hat-trick just to rub it in.

Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates

Erling Haaland scored twice before half-time(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

4. Salah 'a shadow' of his best

The announcement of his departure at the end of the season could've had the effect of creating a swansong for one of Liverpool's greatest ever players. On this evidence, though, the announcement of Salah's exit could create a drawn-out sad ending.

He'd snatched at a few openings before he was given the chance to score from the spot. There was a sense of inevitability about Trafford's save, which was followed by the biggest cheer of the afternoon.

“I didn’t fancy him. I didn’t fancy him at all," Ally McCoist said on co-commentary for TNT Sports. “It’s a shame because he looks a shadow of the man that has lit up this league and lit up this country. It’s a shame he’s going out this way.”

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City and Liverpool

Mohamed Salah had a day to forget for Liverpool(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

5. Pressure piles onto Slot

"You're getting sacked in the morning," rang around the Eithad Stadium as City strolled to victory in the second half. The classic chant isn't always accurate - and won't be on this occasion - but it did underline the issues facing Slot at Liverpool.

Slot has overseen a mess of a campaign for Liverpool, who long ago saw their Premier League title defence evaporate. As he has constantly pointed out, he has been undermined by injuries, not least to Alexander Isak, who was once again missing today. But he can't continue to hide behind excuses. Paris Saint-Germain await on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarter final. Slot cannot afford a repeat of what PSG did to Chelsea in the previous round.

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