Haaland

Xavi Simons (Tottenham): I didn’t like the celebration when he scored against Brighton – I thought it was a bit too much, a bit Instagrammy. But Spurs have been poor of late and his quality and the X-Factor he showed with the assist and goal could be how they stay up.

I don’t think they will stay up – I’m really worried for them, but they need him to have five more games like that and that will give them the best chance. Maybe if the defenders started to defend they would have won the game instead of drawing it.

Bernardo Silva (Man City): In the biggest game of the season, with a Ballon d’Or winner in Rodri next to him, and facing Declan Rice – who people have talked about winning the Ballon d’Or – Bernardo Silva was the best player on the pitch as Manchester City beat Arsenal.

In key moments, he understood what the game required, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and said ‘we win today’. The biggest moment that pops into my head is a cross in the 83rd minute – Bernardo Silva against Viktor Gyokeres to win a header. Bernardo Silva wins it, and blasts Gyokeres in the meantime.

I think he is one of the biggest pieces for Manchester City to replace. Not just with his quality on the ball but also that leadership – it’s going to be hard to replace.

Rayan Cherki (Man City): My favourite player, as you know. The best player to watch in world football for me.

Look at that goal against Arsenal – he goes past Gabriel and Rice as if they are not there. The weight of body to transfer from right foot to left foot. When he shoots, you don’t know which foot is his strongest, he goes with his left foot past people, and scores with his right. He is just an unbelievable footballer.

Pep Guardiola has found another talent. And at 22, he is only going to get better. It’s quite scary when you think about how young this Manchester City team is.

Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingam Forest): Very simple, you score a hat-trick – even if it is against Burnley – you’re in the team of the week. Captain’s performance. That’s all that matters.

Match of the Day pundits Wayne Rooney and Danny Murphy discuss how “two top players” in Erling Haaland and Gabriel went head-to-head in Manchester City’s 2-1 victory against Arsenal, with the Norwegian striker reaching “unplayable” levels.

MATCH REPORT: Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal

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Erling Haaland treble and goal by Antoine Semenyo gives City 4-0 win, as Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah misses a penalty.

Erling Haaland hit a hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed Liverpool 4-0 to reach the FA Cup semifinals and increase the pressure on Reds boss Arne Slot.

Haaland netted twice late in the first half of the quarterfinal at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and completed his treble after the interval following an Antoine Semenyo strike.

With Liverpool trailing by four, Mohamed Salah had a penalty saved by City goalkeeper James Trafford to compound a miserable afternoon for the under-fire Slot.

Liverpool’s tame surrender was a bitter blow to Slot, who had to endure chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from gloating City fans.

They head to Paris Saint-Germain for the Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday with Slot desperately needing a victory over the holders to keep the critics at bay.

Slot’s team, who have just two wins in their last seven matches in all competitions, are fifth in the Premier League and far from certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

It is a remarkable decline for Slot, who just 12 months ago was on the brink of leading Liverpool to their record-equalling 20th English title.

City’s ruthless performance took them into the FA Cup semifinals for an eighth successive season.

Liverpool made a bright start but Hugo Ekitike fired just wide from the edge of the area before Salah wasted a golden opportunity in the 14th minute, dragging his shot wide from just six yards out.

Ekitike lashed wastefully wide with a snap-shot from nine metres [10 yards] out as Liverpool paid the price for failing to make the pressure count.

Fresh from scoring twice in City’s recent League Cup final victory over Arsenal, Nico O’Reilly was key to City’s 39th-minute opener.

Matheus Nunes picked out O’Reilly in the Liverpool area and as he twisted away from Virgil van Dijk, the defender’s clumsy trip conceded a penalty that Haaland converted in clinical fashion.

Haaland had scored just once in his previous six games in all competitions. But the prolific Norway striker is never far from a hot streak and he doubled City’s advantage on the stroke of half-time.

Rayan Cherki found Semenyo’s run and he lofted a pin-point cross towards Haaland, who made a perfectly-timed run in front of Ibrahima Konate to glance a superb header past Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Liverpool were in disarray and Semenyo landed the knockout blow five minutes after the interval.

Cherki’s pass sent Semenyo sprinting in behind the flat-footed Van Dijk to clip a deft finish over Mamardashvili.

Haaland completed the 28th treble of his career in the 57th minute, drilling home via the underside of the bar after O’Reilly teed him up 11 metres [12 yards] from goal.

On a prolonged farewell tour after announcing he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, Salah produced the latest in a long line of lacklustre performances.

The Egyptian’s struggles were encapsulated by his second-half penalty miss after Nunes fouled Ekitike.

Haaland, meanwhile, praised his teammates for recovering from a difficult opening period to take charge of the game.

“Honestly, in the first half, we struggled a bit, but after 30 minutes, we kept going, and in the end, it was an amazing game at home,” Haaland told broadcaster TNT Sport.

“Another Wembley trip for us, it’s amazing and important.”

Asked if it was City’s best performance this season, he replied: “I think so. Between 30 and 60 minutes, it was one of the better ones.”

Later on Saturday, Chelsea host third tier strugglers Port Vale and Premier League leaders Arsenal visit Championship side Southampton.

West Ham meet Leeds at the London Stadium in the last quarterfinal on Sunday.

Roma full-back Wesley Franca has emerged as a target for Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea keen on Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga while striker Marcus Rashford faces uncertain future at Barcelona.

Arsenal have stepped up their search for a right-back with Roma’s 22-year-old Brazilian Wesley Franca a potential target. (Teamtalk), external

Liverpool are ahead of Chelsea in the race to sign 23-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, with the Reds holding talks with the France international’s representatives on two occasions. (Caught Offside), external

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick says he does not know what will happen with England striker Marcus Rashford, with the club having an option to turn the 28-year-old’s season-long loan from Manchester United into a permanent move for £26m. (Manchester Evening News), external

Arsenal are under pressure to sell players in the summer with very few first-team players considered untouchable. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Barcelona and Brazil winger Raphinha, 29, has ruled out leaving the Nou Camp before the end of the 2026-27 season despite interest from Saudi Arabia. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, 28, is totally committed to the club and the Brazilian will not make becoming the highest earner at St James’ Park a huge part of talks over a new contract. (Newcastle Chronicle – subscription required), external

Fulham‘s bid to sign 23-year-old PSV Eindhoven and United States striker Ricardo Pepi has been put on hold despite the player completing a medical. (Fabrizio Romano), external

None of Chelsea‘s squad have asked to leave the club in the summer despite their struggles on the field. (Mail+ – subscription required), external

Barcelona and Real Madrid may be interested in Norway striker Erling Haaland but Manchester City have no intention of letting the 25-year-old leave this summer. (Football Insider), external

Juventus are assessing the possibility of signing 33-year-old Germany defender Antonio Rudiger, whose contract with Real Madrid runs out in the summer. (Tuttosport – in Italian), external

Atletico Madrid have made an offer of £30m plus £4m in add-ons for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, 26, as they prepare for the summer transfer window. (Football Italia), external

Antoine Dupont is arguably the best player of all time.

Dupont lifted back-to-back Six Nations titles on Saturday as France edged England 48–46 in an epic finale in Paris.

What eluded the 29-year-old during the early part of his international career was trophies, but that has now certainly changed.

His CV may lack a Rugby World Cup, but it continues to strengthen the debate that he is rugby’s GOAT.

Outshining the star of French rugby has not even been worth entertaining over the past few seasons.

The France captain won the player of the Six Nations in 2020, 2022 and 2023.

However, Dupont is still not long back from a nasty anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered against Ireland in round four of last year’s Six Nations.

He missed the end of that tournament and France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey rightfully took the limelight.

The 22-year-old bagged a record eight tries to win player of the championship.

Roll on 12 months and he scored four tries against England to help Les Bleus win another title, taking his tally in this year’s tournament to nine – breaking his own record.

Bielle-Biarrey, who has a strong chance of winning the player of the championship for a second successive year, has now scored in 10 straight Six Nations games, a record he will look to extend next year.

Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll is the tournament’s highest-ever try-scorer with 26 – eight clear of Bielle-Biarrey, who has only played in 14 Six Nations games.

The French flyer, who is showing no signs of slowing down, is scoring at a rate rarely seen in international rugby.

Bielle-Biarrey showed excellent footballing ability to nudge the ball in front of England’s Jack van Poortvliet for his vital fourth try.

“He is running at over 10 metres per second – the fastest player in the Six Nations – and he has the deftest of touches. Dennis Bergkamp would be thrilled with that,” former England wing Ugo Monye told BBC Rugby Union Weekly.

“He is the Erling Haaland of the rugby world. Give him the ball and he will finish.”