Pep Guardiola’s team defeated Luton Town 6-2 to go to the FA Cup quarterfinals. Erling Haaland scored five goals himself and amassed his eighth hat-trick for Manchester City.
After bouncing back from a foot injury at the end of the previous month, the Norwegian superstar has never quite looked like his best. However, at Kenilworth Road, he was nearly unplayable, winning the match ball just before halftime.
With a fantastic score from Jordan Clark, Luton responded, and an unlikely comeback appeared to be imminent when the same player struck twice early in the second half.
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However, Haaland’s fourth goal and the imperious Kevin De Bruyne’s fourth assist gave City a new lease on life. The powerful No. 9 equaled his own record in a game, having previously scored five goals in the Champions League against RB Leipzig the previous year, before Mateo Kovacic stunned the crowd with what was maybe the goal of the evening.
Pep Guardiola started a strong City team and they went about their business with ease, even though he rested Rodri and Phil Foden among the substitutes. Manuel Akanji and Matheus Nunes carried the ball impressively before the latter passed in De Bruyne to set up Haaland for an easy finish.
The 19th-minute pass from De Bruyne was collected by him after he outmuscled Teden Mengi, making it 2-0 and the beginning of a striking masterpiece.
After John Stones broke forward from defence, Tim Krul, the keeper for Luton, made a great double-save to stop Haaland and De Bruyne. Haaland was denied.
But the Belgium playmaker would not keep that combination down for long, as he recently finished his own hat-trick of assists with a superb through pass that allowed his teammate to dink home a wonderful finish.
The only other mark on City’s first half came from an injury to Jack Grealish, but Clark’s incredible strike into the top corner gave Luton hope. Within seven minutes of the restart, Ross Barkley set up Clark for another powerful attempt thanks to some careless play by City around their own box.
As expected, the visitors returned to their reliable De Bruyne-Haaland combo. Kyle Walker speared a ball into the midfield maestro, who then laid it on a plate for his jubilant colleague to tap in.
