Manchester City’s Norwegian striker Erling Haaland scored five goals as the holders crushed Luton Town 6-2 in the FA Cup fifth round on Tuesday. The 23-year-old became the first player to score five times in an FA Cup tie since George Best in 1970, and the first City player to do so in any competition since Frank Roberts in 1926.
Haaland and De Bruyne combine to destroy Luton
City took an early lead in the fourth minute when Kevin De Bruyne played a perfect pass for Haaland to fire past Tim Krul. The pair repeated the trick twice more in the first half, as Haaland showed his clinical finishing and pace to run through the Luton defence. He completed his hat-trick in the 40th minute, becoming the fastest player to score a treble in the FA Cup since Jermain Defoe in 2004.
Luton, who are second in the Championship, did not give up and scored a stunning goal on the stroke of half-time. Jordan Clark curled a shot into the top corner from 25 yards, giving Stefan Ortega no chance. The home fans at Kenilworth Road erupted and hoped for a miracle comeback.
Luton’s brief fightback quashed by Haaland
Their hopes were raised further when Clark scored his second goal in the 49th minute, capitalising on a mistake by John Stones and slotting past Ortega. Luton were back in the game at 3-2 and sensed an upset.
But City responded immediately and restored their two-goal cushion in the 51st minute. De Bruyne provided his fourth assist of the night, setting up Haaland for a simple tap-in. The Norwegian was not satisfied and scored his fifth goal in the 58th minute, converting a cross from Bernardo Silva.
Haaland was substituted in the 77th minute, receiving a standing ovation from both sets of fans. He had scored five goals from six shots, taking his tally to 27 goals in 25 games this season. He also became the first player to score five goals in a single Champions League game and a single FA Cup game.
City added a sixth goal in the 82nd minute, when Mateo Kovacic scored from close range after a corner. The Croatian midfielder celebrated his first goal for the club, having joined from Real Madrid in the summer.
City march on in pursuit of quadruple
The final whistle confirmed City’s place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, where they will face Leicester City. The Foxes beat Bournemouth 1-0 thanks to a goal from Youri Tielemans.
City are also top of the Premier League, 10 points clear of second-placed Liverpool. They have won 14 of their last 15 games in all competitions, scoring 46 goals and conceding only seven. They are also in the last 16 of the Champions League, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.
City manager Pep Guardiola praised Haaland and De Bruyne for their superb display, saying they have a perfect connection. He also said he was happy with the performance of the whole team, especially in the second half.
Haaland thanked De Bruyne for his assists, saying he is a pleasure to play with. He also said he is feeling good after recovering from a foot injury that kept him out for two months. He said he is excited for the upcoming games, especially the derby against Manchester United on Sunday.
