FA Cup: City dismantle Liverpool, Chelsea cruise and Arsenal fall to Southampton
FA Cup | Quarter-finals | 4 April 2026
The FA Cup quarter-finals delivered a day of contrasts: complete dominance in two matches and a surprise result that reshapes the outlook of the competition.
Manchester City 4–0 Liverpool: dominant display and a Haaland masterclass
The most anticipated clash of the day ended in a rout.
Manchester City set a high tempo and were clinical in building a convincing victory over Liverpool. After an evenly balanced start, the match shifted with a penalty converted by Erling Haaland, opening the door for total control from the hosts.
The Norwegian striker was the standout performer, scoring a hat-trick and guiding City into yet another semi-final — their eighth consecutive appearance in the competition.
Haaland has reached 12 hat-tricks for City.
The second half exposed the gap between the sides. Semenyo added to the scoreline, and Haaland struck again to complete the rout, while Liverpool also missed a penalty through Mohamed Salah, summing up a performance that fell short in every aspect.
More than qualification, it was a statement performance at a crucial stage of the season for Pep Guardiola's side.
Erling Haaland - Man of the Match | 3 goals | Sofascore Rating: 9.5
Chelsea 7–0 Port Vale: one-sided domination
If there was any balance in Manchester for brief moments, in London there was only one team on the pitch.
Chelsea needed just over a minute to begin one of the most emphatic wins of the round, thrashing Port Vale 7–0 at Stamford Bridge.
The game was effectively settled early, with a goal in the opening minutes, and quickly turned into complete control. The goals came naturally, in a match defined by clear technical superiority and little resistance from the opposition.
A key highlight was the attacking variety, with multiple players contributing — a sign of a team finding rhythm at the decisive point of the season.
Job done — and done in style.
Estêvão - Man of the Match | 1 goal e 1 assist | Sofascore Rating: 8.8
Southampton 2–1 Arsenal: the shock of the day
The most unpredictable script was saved for last.
Southampton, a Championship side, stunned Arsenal with a 2–1 victory to secure a place in the semi-finals, knocking out one of the tournament favourites.
Despite facing a technically superior opponent, Southampton competed at a high level, capitalising on key moments and showing greater efficiency in decisive situations.
For Arsenal, the elimination represents a significant blow in a season that still carried major ambitions.
For Southampton, it is a run that is quickly becoming a remarkable story.
Shea Charles - Man of the Match | 1 goal | Sofascore Rating: 7.8
Road to Wembley
With Saturday’s results, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Southampton have all secured their places in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Beyond the results, the matches left clear signals:
A dominant City increasingly comfortable in big moments
A ruthless Chelsea against weaker opposition
And a Southampton side emerging as the story of this year’s competition
The FA Cup remains alive — balanced between expectation and unpredictability.