Manchester City delivered a statement performance at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, sweeping aside Liverpool 4-0 in a dominant FA Cup quarter-final display that will be remembered for years to come. The early kickoff on April 4, 2026, saw Pep Guardiola's side assert their credentials as cup specialists, with Erling Haaland writing his name into the history books with a sensational hat trick. Antoine Semenyo chipped in with a deft finish, while Liverpool's hopes of silverware this season were dealt a crushing blow in what turned out to be Mohamed Salah's final FA Cup appearance for the Reds.
The build-up to this highly anticipated clash was filled with intrigue. Both teams had impressive journeys to the quarter-finals: Manchester City dispatched Newcastle United 3-1 away in the previous round, thanks to goals from Savinho and a brace by Omar Marmoush, while Liverpool overcame Wolves 3-1 on the road with goals from Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah, and Curtis Jones. City carried momentum from their recent EFL Cup triumph over Arsenal, where Nico O’Reilly’s double secured a 2-0 victory at Wembley, whereas Liverpool entered the tie still smarting from a 2-1 Premier League defeat to Brighton.
Fans around the globe tuned in, with the match broadcast on ESPN and ESPN Plus in the US, TNT Sports 1 in the UK, Sportsnet in Canada, and Stan Sport in Australia. The Etihad was buzzing as the teams lined up: James Trafford started in goal for City, with defenders Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Matheus Nunes. Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Rayan Cherki anchored the midfield, while Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland, and Antoine Semenyo led the line. Liverpool countered with Giorgi Mamardashvili in goal, a back four of Milos Kerkez, Virgil Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez, a midfield trio of Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, and Curtis Jones, and an attacking trio of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Mohamed Salah.
The match started with both teams probing, but it was City who gradually seized control. The breakthrough came in the 38th minute when Nico O’Reilly, showing sharp footwork, twisted away from Virgil Van Dijk and was brought down in the box. Referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot, and Erling Haaland coolly converted, sending Mamardashvili the wrong way to give City the lead. The Etihad erupted, and Liverpool, who have historically thrived in FA Cup quarter-finals—progressing from 17 of their last 19 ties—suddenly looked vulnerable.
As halftime approached, City struck again. Antoine Semenyo whipped in a dangerous cross from the right, and Haaland rose highest to power home a header, doubling the home side’s advantage just before the break. Liverpool’s defense, usually so resolute in big cup games, was left chasing shadows as City’s attack clicked into high gear.
After the restart, things went from bad to worse for Liverpool. In the 50th minute, Rayan Cherki picked out Semenyo with a clever through ball, and the forward showed composure beyond his years, dinking a delightful chip over the onrushing Mamardashvili to make it 3-0. The Etihad crowd could scarcely believe their eyes—was this the same Liverpool that had so often haunted City in cup competitions?
Just seven minutes later, City produced a flowing team move that ended with Haaland smashing the ball in off the crossbar for his hat trick. With this third goal, Haaland became the first Manchester City player to score a hat trick against Liverpool in 89 years—a feat last achieved by Eric Brook at Anfield in March 1937. The Norwegian striker’s performance was nothing short of sensational, and he continued his remarkable scoring run in home games against the Reds.
Liverpool, to their credit, tried to rally. Mohamed Salah, making his 25th and final appearance against City as a Liverpool player, had a golden opportunity to pull one back when Matheus Nunes fouled Hugo Ekitike in the box. Salah stepped up to take the penalty, but James Trafford guessed correctly and made a superb save to preserve City’s clean sheet. It summed up Liverpool’s afternoon—promising moments but no end product.
Salah had two more chances on the counterattack, but neither found the net. It was a tough way for the Egyptian star to bow out of the FA Cup with Liverpool, especially after confirming his impending departure from the club. As noted by The Analyst, "Salah has scored in each of his last three FA Cup appearances, including in a quarter-final against Manchester United in 2023-24," but this time, the script didn’t go his way.
For Liverpool manager Arne Slot, the defeat will sting. The Reds have not been eliminated from back-to-back FA Cup quarter-final appearances since the late 1960s, and with their Premier League and Champions League hopes already dashed, this competition represented their final shot at silverware. The pressure now mounts, and questions will be asked about their ability to bounce back, especially with a daunting Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain looming on the horizon.
Manchester City, meanwhile, continue their extraordinary FA Cup run. With this win, they have now triumphed in each of their last 32 FA Cup matches outside of semi-finals and finals since their shock defeat to Wigan in 2017-18. They have also extended their home winning streak in the competition to 18 matches, surpassing the record set by Clapham Rovers in the late 19th century. Guardiola’s men are eyeing an eighth straight semi-final appearance, already a competition record, and are hungry for another trip to Wembley.
The rivalry between City and Liverpool, which has defined English football in the past decade, took another dramatic turn. City have now won three straight meetings with Liverpool in all competitions for the first time since March 1937, and their quest for a domestic double remains alive and well. As for Liverpool, the end of an era seems to be approaching, with Salah’s departure signaling a changing of the guard at Anfield.
As the dust settles on a remarkable afternoon at the Etihad, Manchester City’s fans will be dreaming of more glory, while Liverpool must regroup and look to salvage pride in the weeks ahead. The FA Cup quarter-finals have delivered plenty of drama, but it’s City who march on, leaving their rivals to ponder what might have been.