Six was the magic number at the Etihad Stadium, as Erling Braut Haaland scored his sixth hat-trick of the season to help Manchester City cruise into the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a 6-0 thumping of Burnley.
Vincent Kompany's return to his former stomping ground was as miserable as the weather for the Citizens legend, whose side succumbed to a Haaland treble alongside a Julian Alvarez brace and a Cole Palmer strike.
Shades of the Burnley under Sean Dyche were evident in the early stages, with the Championship leaders adopting an aggressive approach from the off and getting stuck in to crunching challenges.
There was clearly no shred of sentimentality between Kompany and City while the clock was counting down, but in the 32nd minute, the Clarets became Haaland's latest victims.
A neat link-up between the Norwegian and Alvarez ended with the latter playing in his strike partner, who beat the onrushing Bailey Peacock-Farrell to prod home goal number 40 for the season.
A brief team talk from Kompany failed to pay dividends, as Haaland doubled his tally for the day just three minutes later, meeting Phil Foden's fizzed ball into the box to curl home from close range.
Another day, another Erling Haaland hat-trick 🎩#BBCFACup #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/j7jdGVclin
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 18, 2023
City's number two did have to get his gloves dirty in the first half, though, beating away Ian Maatsen's effort just before the break, having also denied Nathan Tella during Burnley's spirited start.
However, the floodgates had well and truly opened, and Riyad Mahrez should have put City three goals to the good in the 54th minute, but he fired straight at Peacock-Farrell from Kyle Walker's cross.
Haaland was also denied by the Burnley shot-stopper one minute later, but the scintillating Scandinavian was not to be denied the match ball, as Foden's effort just before the hour struck the post before Haaland immediately tapped in the rebound for an extraordinary sixth hat-trick of the season.
The 22-year-old was hogging the spotlight, but there was space for Alvarez on the scoresheet too, as the Argentine tapped home from Kevin De Bruyne's cross to make it four for the hosts.
The Haaland onslaught ended soon after as Pep Guardiola rang the changes, but the City coach's subs were in a merciless mood too, and Palmer extended City's advantage further in the 68th minute - slotting home after Peacock-Farrell had palmed a deflected Foden effort into his path.
Just five minutes later, goal number six arrived in Manchester, as Alvarez latched onto De Bruyne's long pass and left Ameen Al-Dakhil on his backside before lashing home into the roof of the net.
Next up for City is a return to Premier League action at home to Liverpool on April 1 following the international break, while Burnley's Championship title charge resumes at home to Sunderland on March 31.
Ben Knapton
