Erling Haaland expressed that his season has been “too inconsistent” after bouncing back with a hat trick against Liverpool.
The Norwegian forward experienced a challenging 2026, with most of his goals coming before Christmas.
However, he rediscovered his scoring touch at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, netting three goals — marking his first club hat trick since August 2024 — in a dominant 4-0 victory, securing a record eighth consecutive FA Cup semifinal for City.
“It has been too inconsistent, which isn’t good enough,” Haaland stated during an interview with TNT Sports.
“Right now, we have a long week ahead as we aren’t in the Champions League, which isn’t acceptable. Next, we must face Chelsea for another match.”
Haaland opened the scoring with a penalty, followed by a brilliant header just before halftime. His third goal came from a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar after receiving a pass from Nico O’Reilly.
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After the match, City assistant Pep Lijnders, who was filling in for the suspended Pep Guardiola, described Haaland’s second goal from Antione Semenyo’s cross as “insane.”
“I’ve worked with many great strikers who score a lot of goals,” Lijnders noted. “The second goal was extraordinary; the way he attacks the ball and directs it to the corner is impressive. I love those classic striker goals.”
During the international break, Haaland was given some extra rest by Norway, being asked to play in only one of their two matches.
This is likely to be the last break he receives before the World Cup concludes, and Lijnders suggested that it may have been beneficial for the 25-year-old.
“It’s remarkable what we expect from Haaland,” he said. “Pressing, running in the box, and maintaining possession — there are numerous demands we place on him, especially every three days. Not every outcome in a long season can go your way, but his comeback demonstrates his character and mentality. He is a phenomenal player to work with.”