Manchester City progressed to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup quarter-final thanks to a 6-2 win over Luton Town on Tuesday night.
In a remarkable game, Erling Haaland netted five for the second time in his City career while Mateo Kovacic popped up with a sixth in 72nd minute. Kevin De Bruyne, one of four changes on the night, along with Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish, also set up four of Haaland’s five in a virtuoso display from the Belgian that failed to a yield a player-of-the-match award.
He provided the opener after just three minutes when he cut the back for Haaland to tap in, while he played a through ball in for the City’s no.9’s second, as he took a touch and powered it past Luton keeper Tim Krul. The hosts contributed to an excellent game at Kenilworth Road with their energetic pressing and high line forcing City to play quickly, but also gave the FA Cup holders plenty of space to attack into.
Haaland has rarely been afforded such a luxury in English football and took advantage of that partly brave, partly naive, approach and he latched onto De Bruyne’s through ball and chipped in third before the break. But Luton were rewarded with two goals either side of the break when Jordan Clark scored a brace. The first was a screamer from distance while he pounced on some slack City defending for the second, that saw Ross Barkley provide the assist after a slack kick out from Ortega.
The locals were hoping for an unlikely comeback and what would have been a mammoth FA Cup giant killing - but City had other ideas. De Bruyne teed up Haaland for a fourth before Bernardo Silva then fired the ball into the ex-Borussia Dortmund man for a fifth, as he smashed the ball through the legs of Krul.
Luton's back-up keeper looked rusty on a rare outing and he failed to stop a powerful Kovacic effort that flew into the centre of the goal.
That was the eight and final goal of the night but there could have been more from both sides, who accumulated 22 shots on target between them. Matheus Nunes missed two great chances early in the second half, Jeremy Doku twice cut in and fired wide, before Julian Alvarez went close late on. For Luton, Carlton Morris and Ross Barkley saw good chances saved, while Ortega kept out Tahith Chong's point-blank chance in a mixed night for the City stopper.
The 6-2 win means City join Leicester City and Coventry City in the next round, as those faint hopes of a double treble grow ever brighter. Here's how we rated the City players...
1. Stefan Ortega- 6
Could do nothing about Clark's screamer, one of the many shots on target the City keeper faced. Ortega's poor kick handed Luton a second goal on the night, but his direct distribution into Haaland proved very effective.
2. Kyle Walker- 6
Played a superb pass into De Bruyne for City's fourth goal. Walker wasn't at his best but didn't make any real errors.
3. Manuel Akanji- 7
His run from defence helped set up the opening goal and Akanji repeatedly started moves from the heart of defence.
4. John Stones- 9 (off 77)
Pushed into midfield and helped City control the flow of the game. At times, Stones advanced as City's most offensive player. The ex-Everton man also set up Kovacic's goal.