Luton Town 2-6 Manchester City
FA Cup fifth round report
by Layth Yousif
at Kenilworth Road
ERLING HAALAND smashed five goals in a record-breaking display of finishing as holders Manchester City routed Luton Town 6-2 to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.
On a cold, late winter's evening at Kenilworth Road, the clinical Norwegian gave the home side the chills, as he powered his way to a first half hattrick, before sealing five by the 58th minute.
In doing so, the 23-year-old grabbed his eighth hat-trick for City, while also becoming the first player to score five in a game twice for the club.
The peerless Kevin De Bruyne helped Haaland on his way, with four assists for his first four goals.
While, Haaland, a former Borussia Dortmund attacker, who had only scored once in the last 350 minutes - also became the first player since George Best to hit five in an FA Cup match, with the legendary Northern Irishman hitting six for Manchester United 8-2 Northampton back in 1970.
Speaking after the match, stunned Hatters boss Rob Edwards said simply of the pair: "They were sensational."
While Pep Guardiola's appraisal was more circumspect, but equally truthful, saying: "Kevin is a less selfish player in front of goal [but] Kevin needs the movement from Erling [to provide assists]."
Haaland puts the visitors 1-0 ahead on three minutes here at Kenilworth Road after Kevin De Bruyne’s assist.
Haaland grabbed his second of the match to make it 2-0 after only 18 minutes, following De Bruyne’s through ball, as the mesmerising No17 notched his second assist.
The prolific Norwegian nearly made it three on the half hour, but his drive went straight at Hatters keeper for the evening Tim Krul, in place of the rested Thomas Kaminski, who gathered, after Harland followed up De Bruyne's initial shot.
Despite City's dominance Luton provided resistance of sorts, when Alfie Doughty cut inside to fire a shot narrowly past City's keeper for the night, Stefan Ortega.
It proved to be fleeting as Haaland grabbed a first half FA Cup hattrick in only 40 minutes with De Bruyne notching a trio of assists.
Luton pulled a goal back moments before the interval through Jordan Clark's long-range effort that beat Ortega at the far post to make it 3-1.
Hope came momentarily to Hatters fans when the lively Clark struck seven minutes after the break to reduce the deficit to a single goal at 3-2.
However, the goal only riled Guadiola's side - and Haaland - who stuck in the 55th and 58th minutes to make it 4-2 then 5-2 in favour of Guardiola's all-conquering side, to make it 79 goals in 83 games in his City career so far.
The only sour note for City was an injury to Jack Grealish, who was forced off late in the first half - but Guardiola's outstanding side are now unbeaten in 18 games and remain very much in contention for a second consecutive treble.
There was still time for Mateo Kovacic to fire home to make it a half dozen for City at 6-2 - and although you’d have to question Krul’s positioning for the shot, empathetic observers must have realised the veteran Dutchman would surely have been absolutely shellshocked by then.
As was everyone of a non-Blue persuasion assembled inside the grand old Kenny, as we all processed the incredible performance we had just seen from Guardiola's masterful side.
