The Haaland & De Bruyne connection is out of this world

Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland are a formidable pair on the field and they showed their incredible chemistry against Luton, scoring four goals together as Manchester City crushed the Hatters 6-2 to advance to the FA Cup quarter-finals with ease. The duo were unstoppable and led City to a resounding win at Kenilworth Road.

Haaland scored two goals in the first 18 minutes, both assisted by De Bruyne, and completed his eighth City hat-trick, but his first on the road, with another De Bruyne pass in the 40th. Luton fought back around half-time and reduced the gap to 3-2 with two powerful shots from Jordan Clark. Both of Clark’s goals were set up by Ross Barkley.

However, De Bruyne and Haaland soon restored City’s dominance, with the Belgian creating a fourth goal for the Norwegian. Haaland then added his fifth, this time with the help of Bernardo Silva. Mateo Kovacic finished the scoring with a fierce strike from long range, adding to the spectacle of amazing goals. The only downside was Jack Grealish’s injury recurrence, which will likely keep him out of the Manchester derby.

Match report/Player rating

Stefan Ortega (6/10): Contributed to the team's second goal with a well-placed punt forward and made crucial saves to maintain City's lead in the second half.

Kyle Walker (6/10): Faced challenges from Alfie Doughty but managed the situation. John Stones (8/10): Displayed top form, dominating both in midfield and defense, reminiscent of his standout performances last season.

Manuel Akanji (6/10): Performed well in defense, particularly when not shifted into midfield as in previous matches.

Nathan Ake (7/10): Successfully thwarted Carlton Morris when City was leading 1-0.

Matheus Nunes (6/10): Played a significant role in the first goal and is adapting well to the City style.

Mateo Kovacic (7/10): Held the midfield effectively, allowing Rodri to rest, and scored an impressive goal.

Bernardo Silva (7/10): Thrived in the chaotic nature of the game, showcasing his artistic abilities.

Kevin De Bruyne (10/10): Delivered pinpoint passes to Haaland and played a key role in the attacking prowess.

Erling Haaland (10/10): Increased his goal tally significantly, though missed out on a double hat-trick.

Jack Grealish (5/10): Looked rusty and unfortunately suffered an injury, forcing him off early in his comeback.

Oscar Bobb (6/10): Showed intent to contribute to the scoring.

Julian Alvarez (5/10): Might be disappointed that he couldn't further increase the lead.

Rico Lewis (6/10): Continued the solid performance after coming on for Stones.

Sergio Gomez (5/10): Had limited time to make an impact in the game.

Pep Guardiola (8/10): Managed the team well, allowing Rodri to rest and ensuring others from the bench got involved once the result was secured.