The Town’s run in the FA Cup came to an abrupt end as ruthless Erling Haaland scored five times to send holders Manchester City into the quarter-finals.
The Hatters had no answers to the striker, playing for the first time at Kenilworth Road, with the Norwegian firing the visitors in front in the third minute from Kevin De Bruyne’s cut-back.
It was 2-0 to Citizens on 18 minutes when Haaland latched onto De Bruyne’s throughball to thunder past Tim Krul.
Krul, who was in fine form all evening in the face of an attacking bombardment, could do nothing as De Bruyne and Haaland combined once more for the striker to lift a delightful finish home.
As half-time approached, however, the Hatters got themselves to within two goals when Jordan Clark hit a sumptuous 25-yard curling effort into the top corner. It was the midfielder’s first of the season and first since scoring in the play-off final at Wembley in May.
After the restart, Town voices were raised as, on 52 minutes, Clark got his second to make it 3-2, lashing home brilliantly from Ross Barkley’s superb lifted pass.
However City – and Haaland in particular – wasted no time in restoring their advantage as the striker scored twice in a three-minute spell to make it 5-2.
Krul continued to impress for the Town as the visitors pushed for more but the Dutchman couldn’t stop a sixth with 17 minutes to go when Mateo Kovacic’s drive from the edge of the box flew home and that was that.
Town: Krul; Ogbene (sub Hashioka 62), Doughty, Mengi, Burke, Bell (sub Johnson 39); Clark (sub Mpanzu 62), Barkley; Chong, Morris, Woodrow (sub Townsend 56).
Subs not used: Shea, Osho, Berry, Nelson, Piesold.
Attendance: 11,163, including 1,866 in the away end.
