Erling Haaland exhibited a remarkable return to form with an impressive five-goal performance, driving Manchester City to a commanding 6-2 victory over Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday. This massive win secured Manchester City’s spot in the quarter-finals of the Emirates FA Cup, marking a memorable achievement for the team.
Luton had no clue against the unstoppable Erling Haaland, as the Norwegian footballer secured his eighth hat-trick for Manchester City before halftime. Haaland’s dominance continued into the second half, adding two more goals to extinguish Luton’s spirited comeback attempt. The Norwegian forward bagged his eighth City hat-trick yesterday.
Credit for setting up all four of Haaland’s initial goals goes to Kevin De Bruyne. Mateo Kovacic also contributed to the scoreline for the reigning champions, Manchester City, who maintain an impressive unbeaten streak of 18 games across all competitions.
City took just three minutes in Tuesday’s match to take the lead as Haaland finished off a flowing move. Matheus Nunes delivered a shrewd pass to Kevin De Bruyne, who, in turn, located Haaland inside the Luton penalty area. The City striker calmly dispatched the ball past Tim Krul, showcasing his clinical finishing prowess (1-0).
De Bruyne assisted again in the 18th minute for Haaland’s second goal, a typically predatory finish (2-0).
In the 40th minute, Erling Haaland secured his hat-trick, capitalizing on another exquisite assist from Kevin De Bruyne. Demonstrating his exceptional skill, Haaland swiftly accelerated onto the pass before delicately lifting a precise finish over Tim Krul from a distance of 12 yards (3-0)
This marked Haaland’s eighth hat-trick for City and his first hat-trick achieved away from the Etihad Stadium since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
Luton, however, tried an unlikely comeback when Jordan Clark found the top corner with an extraordinary effort just before the half-time and scored again early in the second half to make it 3-2. But their flame of hope was quickly extinguished by Haaland again when the 23-year-old City striker tapped in a De Bruyne pass a couple of minutes later and then grabbed his fifth from Bernardo Silva’s assist before being substituted in the 76th minute, much to Luton’s relief. Mateo Kovacic netted 6th goal for the City only to cap City’s second six-goal haul this season after their 6-1 thrashing of Bournemouth in the Premier League in November.
The spotlight firmly rested on the unstoppable Haaland, who etched his name in football history by becoming the first top-flight player since 1970 to score five goals in an FA Cup match. Haaland reminded us of George Best’s legendary performance for Manchester United against Northampton Town over five decades ago.
Saluting de Bruyne’s role in assisting his four goals, Haaland said: “Kevin is massive. It’s a pleasure playing with him. We know what we both want from each other.”
On his own form since returning from a foot injury that sidelined him for two months, he added: “I’m getting back to my best. Finally I’m feeling good.
With his tally now standing at 27 goals across all competitions this season, Erling Haaland continues to silence his critics, who took a swipe at him following a less-than-stellar performance in a recent draw against Chelsea. This, however, isn’t the first time Haaland has showcased his scoring prowess, as he previously netted five goals in a single game for City during their Champions League last-16, second-leg triumph against RB Leipzig in March 2023.
City boss Pep Guardiola, whose side are a point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, had only praise for Haaland and de Bruyne, saying: “Erling is on fire, and Kevin. The connection was perfect. Kevin needs players like Erling and Erling needs players like Kevin.”
As City aims to replicate last season’s remarkable success of clinching the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup trophies, they have maintained an impressive record, winning 14 out of their last 15 matches across all competitions this season, too.
Haaland and de Bruyne, who have both recovered from their recent injuries, are showing signs of returning to peak form for the upcoming showdown against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium, boosting City’s prospects for continued dominance on the field.