Erling Haaland hammers five as Manchester City thrash Luton Town in FA Cup

LONDON – Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne have sent a warning sign to rivals Manchester United ahead of their English Premier League clash on March 3.

In what was an utterly dominant performance, Haaland scored five times as the FA Cup holders ran riot in a 6-2 rout of Luton Town in the fifth round on Feb 27.

Aided by de Bruyne’s quartet of assists, the striker completed his treble inside the first 40 minutes at Kenilworth Road.

Jordan Clark struck twice to briefly reduce Luton’s deficit to just 3-2.

But any Luton hopes of an incredible comeback were ruthlessly erased by Haaland as the Norwegian scored twice more after the interval to send City into the quarter-finals.

Mateo Kovacic then netted to cap City’s second six-goal haul this season, after their 6-1 thrashing of Bournemouth in the Premier League in November.

Saluting de Bruyne’s role in his demolition of Luton, 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.

“It’s an amazing feeling. It’s coming, we’re coming. Exciting times ahead. We are ready to attack.”

Haaland now has 27 goals in all competitions this season, making a mockery of the critics who took a swipe at him after a misfiring display in a recent draw against Chelsea.

It was also the second time he had hit five goals in a single game for City after his heroics in the Champions League last-16, second-leg win against German side 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.”

City have won 14 of their last 15 games in all competitions as they try to emulate last season’s Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble.

Haaland and de Bruyne, who have both recovered from their recent injuries, are rounding into form in time for the showdown against United at the Etihad Stadium.

City needed just three minutes to take the lead as Haaland finished off a flowing move.

Matheus Nunes clipped a clever pass to de Bruyne and he picked out Haaland inside the Luton area, where the City striker fired past Tim Krul with ease.

De Bruyne was the provider again in the 18th minute for Haaland’s second goal, a typically predatory finish.

The Norwegian completed his treble in the 40th minute, accelerating onto yet another sublime de Bruyne assist before dinking a deft finish over Krul from 12 metres.

It was his eighth hat-trick for City and his first away from the Etihad since signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

Clark reduced the deficit five minutes later with a superb long-range curler and scored again in the 52nd minute.

But City’s star duo proved impossible for Luton to stop, with Belgian midfielder de Bruyne claiming his fourth assist by teeing up Haaland for a 55th-minute tap in.

Haaland got his fifth three minutes later, shooting low under Krul’s weak attempted save.

Kovacic then smashed a 20-metre drive past Krul in the 72nd minute to put a bow on City’s evening to remember.

“Manchester City were pretty good, weren’t they? We came up against a brilliant team and brilliant individuals who are well coached,” said Luton manager Rob Edwards.

“We could have been a bit better. We were quite bold and sometimes, when you come up against that kind of opposition, you get a bit of a doing.”

Elsewhere, Newcastle United survived a scare to beat second-tier Blackburn Rovers 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park.

Anthony Gordon’s 71st-minute opener was cancelled by Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics eight minutes later, before Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka emerged as the shoot-out hero with two saves. AFP, REUTERS