Manchester City vs Liverpool LIVE
Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as Manchester City crushed Liverpool 4-0 in their FA Cup quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday to cruise into the last four.
Haaland fired the opener from the penalty spot in the 39th minute after Nico O'Reilly was fouled, and the Norwegian doubled his tally in first-half stoppage time with a well-placed header from an excellent cross by Antoine Semenyo.
Semenyo got on the scoresheet himself five minutes after the break and Haaland completed his treble with a shot off the underside of the crossbar in the 57th minute before Liverpool's woes continued when Mohamed Salah had a penalty saved.
In the other quarter-finals, Chelsea take on Port Vale and Southampton host Arsenal later on Saturday, with Leeds United travelling to West Ham United on Sunday. Read back the game below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis.
Man City vs Liverpool latest news
- PENALTY SAVED! Salah denied by Trafford
- GOAL! Haaland completes his hat-trick
- GOAL! Semenyo gets in on the act
- GOAL! Haaland nods home a second
- GOAL! Haaland scores penalty after Van Dijk foul
Liverpool told who must replace Slot
15:49 , Alex YoungAs the pressure mounts on Arne Slot, former Premier League defender William Gallas believes there is an obvious candidate to replace the Liverpool manager.
“People are talking about Xabi Alonso but I don't know why they don’t bring in Steven Gerrard,” William Gallas told BOYLE Sports, provider of Champions League Odds.
“Jurgen Klopp doesn't want to be a manager anymore so why don’t they give the opportunity to Steven Gerrard? I think you have to give him that opportunity if the job is free. I don’t know why Liverpool have not asked him. I try to understand why.
“Does his time at Aston Villa mean he’d not be a good Liverpool manager? Everything is there for him. You will never know unless you give him the opportunity and then we will see what is going to happen.
“With some managers, you take the risk. Why don’t you take the risk on Steven Gerard, a guy who is from there, played for the club, is a legend. I think Mr Kenny Dalglish was in the same situation, no? Why not!”
You can read more about Cherki and Ekitike’s bizarre mid-game shirt-swap moment here.
Full-time!
14:34 , Alex Young91min: City are the first team through to the FA Cup semi-finals!
What a statement win that is. And where does it leave Slot and Liverpool? They are PSG up next...
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:34 , Alex Young89min: Apparently there will not be a single minute of added time.
Sums up the game.
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:31 , Alex Young86min: Plenty of empty seats in the Etihad away end. You can’t blame them.
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:26 , Alex Young82min: City sitting off Liverpool now, just inviting them on.
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:24 , Alex Young78min: Amid that, Salah was withdrawn and replaced by Chiesa.
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:21 , Alex Young77min: Haaland is taken off to a standing ovation. Deserved.
Marmoush is on.
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:19 , Alex Young74min: Remarkable scenes on the touchline as Cherki has swapped shirts with France team-mates Ekitike and puts the top on while sitting on the bench.
He is quickly told to take it off, which he does, and apologises to those around him.
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:14 , Alex Young70min: City fans serenading Slot with “sacked in the morning” chants.
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:13 , Alex Young68min: Triple change, then, as Mac Allister, Gakpo and Ngumoha replace Gravenberch, Wirtz and Ekitike.
Salah very lucky to remain on!
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:11 , Alex Young66min: Slot is making three more changes.
TRAFFORD SAVES!
14:09 , Alex Young65min: Salah denied, and it’s a woeful penalty. Easy for Trafford to his left.
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!
14:08 , Alex Young64min: Nunes and Ekitike. Stone wall!
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:07 , Alex Young63min: And now Frimpong replaces Gomez.
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:06 , Alex Young62min: First though, City make changes. Doku and Rodri replaced by Nico and Savinho.
Man City 4-0 Liverpool
14:04 , Alex Young60min: Finally Slot turns to his bench. Frimpong is warming up.
GOAL!
14:02 , Alex Young57min: Haaland hat-trick!
This is a real marker from City, and Arsenal should be worried.
O’Reilly is slipped into the area, again Gomez has no idea where his man is, and he cuts it back for Haaland to finish in off the underside of the bar.
Man City 3-0 Liverpool
14:00 , Alex Young55min: Salah in a good position to bend a shot towards the far top corner but, as we’ve seen many times this season, his shot ends up closer to the corner flag.
Man City 3-0 Liverpool
13:58 , Alex Young54min: Semenyo has just tried to score from behind the halfway line, and his shot lands on top of Mamardashvili’s net!
Man City 3-0 Liverpool
13:56 , Alex Young52min: Salah does well to get in behind, and forces Trafford into a good save before Nunes clears.
Slot surely has to make changes.
GOAL!
13:55 , Alex Young50min: City are heading back to Wembley!
Van Dijk caught flat-footed, allowing Semenyo to chip the ball over Mamardashvili.
This is getting ugly for Liverpool now.
Second half!
13:50 , Alex Young46min: Back underway. No changes.
The teams are back out.
There is not a huge amount on the bench for Liverpool, beyond Gakpo and Mac Allister.
Liverpool need a quick start to the second half.
Two from Haaland means City have one foot in their FA Cup semi-finals.
A long, long way back for Liverpool, who were the better team for the opening 35 minutes.
Half-time!
13:34 , Alex Young48min: What an end to the half. A long way back for Liverpool.
GOAL!
13:34 , Alex Young47min: Haaland doubles up!
A stunning, stunning header, nodding in Semenyo’s cross! Great from Cherki in the build-up, and Konate did not stand a chance in the centre.
Man City 1-0 Liverpool
13:31 , Alex Young46min: Two minutes added on.
Man City 1-0 Liverpool
13:30 , Alex Young44min: Gomez is very, very lucky that the referee spots a push on him from Doku, otherwise the City forward would have been away and clear for a second.
Man City 1-0 Liverpool
13:28 , Alex Young43min: City pushing for a second before half-time, and Liverpol are retreating.
Man City 1-0 Liverpool
13:25 , Alex Young40min: No complaints over the penalty, but that’s tough for Liverpool after such a promising start to the game.
GOAL!
13:24 , Alex Young39min: Haaland makes no mistake from 12 yards.
PENALTY TO MAN CITY
13:23 , Alex Young37min: Van Dijk on O’Reilly. Stone wall.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:22 , Alex Young36min: Rodri winds up for a shot, which is blocked by O’Reilly is able to recycle into a corner.
Doku takes, but it’s headed clear.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:19 , Alex Young34min: And now Rodri is booked for multiple tugs on Ekitike.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:19 , Alex Young33min: Wirtz penalised for a trip on Rodri, which Slot certainly does not agree with. He’s raced from the bench and bellowed at the pitch/referee/whomever.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:17 , Alex Young31min: City getting closer.
Semenyo with a cross-cum-shot which Mamardashvili does well to palm away.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:16 , Alex Young30min: Another City corner. This time Doku plays it short to Bernardo before getting it back to find Haaland in the six-yard box, but Van Dijk clears well.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:14 , Alex Young27min: Oh! Ekitike should score!
Almost out of nothing, the ball falls to the striker inside the area and he lashes a shot over the bar from 12 yards... but he has to be hitting the target.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:09 , Alex Young24min: Gravenverch into the book first for a tug on Doku.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:09 , Alex Young23min: City again trying to slow things down a tad. Liverpool are so lively.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:05 , Alex Young19min: TV cameras have just shown Guardiola’s reaction to that penalty incident, and it’s fair to say he does not agree with VAR.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:04 , Alex Young18min: City want a penalty as Cherki goes down under a tackle from Kerkez!
VAR check and clear, but... you’ve seen them given.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:03 , Alex Young17min: Now Cherki should score!
Incredible pass from Bernardo to take Van Dijk out of the picture, but Cherki’s touch into the area lets him down and Kerkez is able to get back to put him off.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:01 , Alex Young15min: Salah misses a sitter!
He shrugs off Khusanov, drives into the area and then fires low at the far post but the City defender gets back to get a toe on the ball and direct it wide.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
13:00 , Alex Young14min: Liverpool fans sing Salah’s name from the away end, as Rodri register’s City’s first shot on target.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
12:57 , Alex Young11min: Ekitike shoots wide from the edge of the area, but he’s off balance.
Liverpool have started well.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
12:54 , Alex Young8min: Liverpool not quite clicking in the final third yet, but are creating enough to get into smart spaces.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
12:52 , Alex Young7min: First corner for City, taken by Bernardo, which is floated into the keeper’s arms.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
12:51 , Alex Young6min: City trying to slow things down with an extended spell of possession. Liverpool quite lively in these opening stages, when on the ball.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
12:49 , Alex Young3min: First half-sight of goal for Liverpool as Ekitike picks out Wirtz on the edge of the area, but his shot is blocked.
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
12:47 , Alex Young2min: Liverpool did their kick-off routine where they boot it straight into touch, deep into City’s half.
It didn’t help, with City immediately in possession. Gomez gets his first test against Doku, and comes off worse. Doku shoots harmlessly wide.
Kick-off!
12:45 , Alex Young1min: Here we go!
Here come the teams.
Final prep done. Kick-off is just 10 minutes away.
Pep Guardiola to TNT Sports
12:26 , Alex Young“We have had good days but when you finish one chapter you open another one and we have a chance to reach a semi-final of the FA Cup against Liverpool."
“[Liverpool] have always been an extraordinary team, the players are there, a top-class manager.”
It’s a blow for Alexander Isak to not be involved today, though perhaps not hugely surprising. He only returned to training on Thursday, and Arne Slot expressed doubt over whether he was ready to impact the game off the bench.
Isak will be hoping he can play a part against PSG next week.
Pep vs Liverpool
12:15 , Alex YoungPep Guardiola has just nine victories in 26 matches against Liverpool, his worst win rate against a Premier League club. He is relishing the prospect of reaching double figures today.
"So many times they have been the rival, the biggest, biggest one... top contender, top class players, all of them.
“Hopefully we have to perform in the level we did against Arsenal to reach the next step.”
Team news explained
12:03 , Alex YoungJust the one change for Man City from their Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal, as Guehi comes in for Ake.
There is no Dias or Stones in the squad, as the pair continue to manage injury concerns, but Mateo Kovacic is fit for a place on the bench.
Liverpool make three changes from their defeat to Brighton last time out. Salah is back in, and joined by Gomez and Jones.
Frimpong is fit enough for a place on the bench after an injury scare, but Isak is not involved despite returning to training after his broken leg.
Confirmed team news in full
11:53 , Alex YoungMan City XI: Trafford, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo, Semenyo, Cherki, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Donnarumma, Reijnders, Ake, Marmoush, Kovacic, Nico, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Foden
Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Gomez, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez; Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Jones, Ekitike, Salah
Subs: Woodman, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Gakpo, Robertson, Frimpong, Nyoni, Morrison, Ngumoha
Liverpool XI
11:49 , Alex Young...and the visitors!
The Reds to take on Manchester City 🔴 #EmiratesFACup
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 4, 2026
Man City XI
11:46 , Alex YoungHere’s how the hosts look!
Your City side to take on Liverpool! 👊
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 4, 2026
XI: Trafford, Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, O’Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo (C), Semenyo, Cherki, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Donnarumma, Reijnders, Ake, Marmoush, Kovacic, Nico, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Foden
🤝 @etihad pic.twitter.com/VkQKOTalj7
Looks like Liverpool and Man City have both delayed their team announcements until 11.45am...
According to unconfirmed reports, Alexander Isak is not in the squad today. We will know for sure in a few minutes.
Team news incoming
11:25 , Alex YoungLine-ups to be confirmed in just five minutes.
Why will Guardiola not be in the touchline today?
11:20 , Alex YoungPep Guardiola has been handed a two-game touchline ban after receiving his sixth yellow card of the season during the 3-1 fifth-round win at Newcastle last month for his protestations to referee Sam Barrott following Kieran Trippier’s challenge on Jeremy Doku.
A one-match domestic ban is triggered by three yellow cards for managers, which is now doubled when they reach six.
Guardiola - who joked that he would “go on holiday” during his latest suspension - will be back in his usual position for the top-flight trip to Chelsea next weekend, which is followed by a must-win crunch home showdown with Arsenal.
In his absence against Liverpool, assistant Pep Lijnders - who spent six years as Jurgen Klopp’s assistant at Anfield - will lead City’s coaching team on Saturday.
Latest odds
11:08 , Alex YoungThe bookies are backing a Man City victory today, too.
- Man City to reach semi-finals: 2/5
- Liverpool to reach semi-finals: 15/8
(Odds via Betfair, subject to change.)
Arne Slot on Liverpool's form
10:58 , Alex Young”It's up to us to show that we are ready for this tough fixture list.
“Tough in a sense of the opponents we face – but that's completely normal if you are still in the FA Cup and if you're still in the Champions League that you face tough opponents – and tough in a sense that it's a lot of games with hardly any rest in between.
“But we are now eight or nine months further than we were in the start of the season and I think more and more players are ready for this schedule than they were for large parts of the first half of the season.”
Pep Guardiola on Man City's FA Cup record
10:50 , Alex Young"It's unbelievable. I don't know if one team has been to seven semi-finals in a row in this competition, the FA Cup.
"I know (I won) four Carabao Cups in a row, four Premier Leagues in a row. I'm sorry, I'm so proud.
"I don't need to finish and go to the Maldives, underneath the coconuts, to realise how incredible it is. I'm sorry, it's incredible."
Score prediction
10:42 , Alex YoungPrior to beating Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, Man City had won just once in five games in all competitions - that being in the last round of the FA Cup - so Guardiola’s side aren’t exactly in flying form.
That said, Liverpool have equally been a mixed bag aside from the 4-0 win over Galatasaray in the Champions League last-16 second leg and the Wolves cup tie.
It is a difficult one to call as both teams will be eyeing a trophy. We think home advantage tips things in Man City’s favour, but only just.
Man City to win, 2-1.
Early Liverpool team news
10:35 , Alex YoungMohamed Salah is ready to return for Liverpool, but question marks remain over Alexander Isak.
The Reds were missing their star forward in a 2-1 loss at Brighton last time out, with the Egyptian sidelined with a muscle injury, but he will be back today.
The same can be said of Federico Chiesa, who withdrew prematurely from Italy’s camp with a niggle, but he is available for this game too.
Isak, who is back in team training after he broke his leg against Tottenham back in December, and Arne Slot has confirmed could come off the bench depending on the state of the game.
There are some absentees for Slot, with first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker ruled out until next month so Giorgi Mamardashvili start in goal once more.
Andy Robertson and Milos Kerkez will battle it out for the left-back berth, while decisions are to be made over who starts in midfield if Dominik Szoboszlai is needed at right-back given Jeremie Frimpong’s fitness concerns.
That could leave room for Curtis Jones in the engine room, or Florian Wirtz could be back as the No10 with Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister behind him.
Early Man City team news
10:27 , Alex YoungManchester City are sweating over the fitness of Ruben Dias and John Stones.
Dias has been struggling with a hamstring injury, while Stones pulled out of the England squad ahead of the loss to Japan because of a minor injury.
With an equally important Premier League fixture against Chelsea on the horizon, Pep Guardiola could opt not to risk either central defender in the knowledge that Marc Guehi is available for selection.
Guehi was ineligible for the Carabao Cup final but is free to play in the FA Cup despite already featuring for Crystal Palace in the third round prior to his January transfer.
James Trafford is expected to retain his place as the cup goalkeeper, while Rayan Ait-Nouri could replace Nico O’Reilly at left-back despite the latter’s heroics against Arsenal last month.
Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden are all pushing to start, though an eight-day gap in between this fixture and Chelsea away could see Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Rayan Cherki continue in midfield.
Erling Haaland should be fresh after not going away on international duty with Norway, but he may be joined in attack by Omar Marmoush after the Egyptian scored twice in the fifth round win over Newcastle.
How to watch Man City vs Liverpool
10:20 , Alex YoungTV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports. Coverage starts at 11.30am BST on TNT Sports 1.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the HBO Max app and website.
Man City vs Liverpool LIVE
10:14 , Alex YoungGood morning and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester City and Liverpool.
It’s a huge last-eight clash between two of English football’s giants, with a place at Wembley up for grabs.
City have somewhat dominated this trophy in recent years, and are gunning to reach their eighth semi-final in a row, and fourth final. But they have only lifted the trophy just twice under Pep Guardiola.
Liverpool, meanwhile, know this is their best chance at winning silverware this season.
Kick-off at the Etihad is at 12.45pm BST. Stick with us.
