Erling Haaland showcased a spectacular return to form with a five-goal performance as Manchester City dominated Luton Town 6-2 at Kenilworth Road to secure a spot in the FA Cup quarterfinals. Haaland, the 23-year-old Norwegian striker, secured his eighth hat-trick for City before halftime and added two more goals in the second half, leaving Luton struggling to mount a comeback.
All four of Haaland’s initial goals were set up by Kevin De Bruyne, emphasizing the strong partnership between the two players. Mateo Kovacic also contributed to the scoresheet for City, maintaining their unbeaten streak of 18 games across all competitions.
Despite a brief threat from Luton, who managed to score twice through Jordan Clark, City quickly regained control to comfortably advance to the quarterfinals. Haaland’s five-goal feat in the FA Cup made him the first top-flight player to achieve such a milestone since George Best in 1970.
The only setback for City was an injury to Jack Grealish, who had to be substituted in the first half. Haaland’s exceptional performance, particularly following a period of reduced goal-scoring due to a foot injury, silenced any doubts about his capabilities.
City asserted their dominance early in the game, with goals from Haaland orchestrated by De Bruyne in the fourth and 18th minutes. Haaland’s hat-trick goal showcased a remarkable repetition of the earlier pattern. Luton did manage to offer some resistance, with Clark scoring a sublime goal just before halftime and adding another early in the second half to make it 3-2.
However, Haaland quickly responded, tapping in a De Bruyne pass and securing his fifth goal with assistance from Bernardo Silva before being substituted. The victory secured City’s place in the FA Cup quarterfinals, where they will face Manchester United. In a separate match, second-tier leaders Leicester City also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over Premier League Bournemouth.
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