Erling Haaland scored second hat-trick as City thrashed Burnley to advance to FA Cup semifinals

• Erling Haaland got his second hat-trick in five days.
• He is only two goals short of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Mohamed Salah’s Premier League record .
• City will be making their sixth semi-final appearance in seven seasons.

Erling Haaland got his second hat-trick in five days as Manchester City thrashed Championship leaders Burnley at Etihad Stadium to easily advance to the FA Cup semifinals.

Haaland added three more goals to his five he scored in the Champions League match against RB Leipzig, bringing his season total to 42.

He is only two goals short of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Mohamed Salah’s Premier League record for most goals in a season for an English top-flight team.

On a depressing night for former City captain Vincent Kompany, whose Burnley team has raced 13 points clear at the top of the Championship, Julian Alvarez added two goals and replacement Cole Palmer also scored.

The Clarets played effectively in the first half but were unable to match Haaland’s incredible efficiency in front of goal.

The gap in class between England’s top two divisions was highlighted in the second quarter, when City opened up.

“He is in the proper place for his growth since he is still very young,” Burnley manager Kompany of Haaland remarked. “He will get better – he has the proper coach and the correct approach.

“I’ve played against legends. They are members of a select group. Even the best struggle to stop these men. They continue to find a way. He appears to be a superstar who is eager to develop, which is amazing to see. The goalscoring record places you in a specific bracket – it is the most difficult aspect of the game.”

Under Pep Guardiola, City will be making their sixth semi-final appearance in seven seasons. Given their current success and continued pursuit of the Triple Crown of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, few would contest them winning the trophy for just the second time in that span.

Sunday’s FA Cup semifinal draw takes place after Brighton’s match against Grimsby Town (14:15 GMT), which is broadcast live on BBC One.

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