Erling Haaland scored five times as holders Manchester City thrashed Luton 6-2 in the Fifth round of the FA Cup played on Tuesday at Kenilworth Road.
In a superb individual display, the Norwegian took his tally to 27 goals, making him City’s top scorer so far, despite having missed two months with a foot injury. The 23-year-old made a mockery of the critics who took a swipe at him for his misfiring display against Chelsea a week ago.
It took City three minutes to get on the score sheet, with Matheus Nunes in the heart of the goal, as his defense-splitting pass found the unmarked Kevin de Bruyne who squared the ball to a waiting Haaland, who thumped the ball home from 10 yards.
Haaland would tussle Luton’s Teden Mengi, but it wouldn’t be enough as a cushioned pass fell kindly on the path of de Bruyne who played the ball for an on-rushing Haaland and bullied his way to the box before slotting past Tim Krul to make it two in the 18th minute.
At this point, Kevin de Bruyne was running the show, racking up another assist by setting up Haaland again, who timed his run perfectly off Joe Johnson, calmly chipping over the on-rushing Krul to see City go three up with Haaland completing his hat trick in the 40th minute.
Jordan Clarke would pull one back for the hosts, as a Ross Barkley cushioned pass, saw Clarke curl a long-range effort that City keeper Stefan Ortega didn’t have any chance of saving.
Clarke would another for Luton after the break, but Haaland snuffed out any chance for a comeback for the hosts as he scored twice more to take his tally to five.
Mateo Kovacic would net to cap City’s six-goal haul as City booked their place in the tournament’s quarter-final.
John Njuguna
