Vincent Kompany given cold reminder of Man City carnage thanks to Erling Haaland

18 March 2023 , 21:31

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Vincent Kompany got given a warm welcome on his return to the Etihad Stadium - before a 6-0 defeat (Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Vincent Kompany saw the Poznan in all its glory many times during his time at Manchester City - but this will have cut him to the bone.

The spectacular sight of those fans who still worship him, backs turned to the pitch, bouncing up and down with pure joy, was not the kind of return the Belgian envisaged when the FA Cup 's quarter-final draw gave him the chance to go up against Pep Guardiola.

This was meant to be his night, a stage to show that talk of one day succeeding Guardiola is based on much more than Sky Blue sentiment. The only opportunity Kompany got was the chance to salute City's supporters and 9,000 travelling Clarets before the carnage ensued.

Erling Haaland showed City's most successful skipper that he is already too big for the shooting boots left behind by Sergio Aguero. The Norwegian helped himself to a hat-trick - the sixth time he has taken home a match ball in only 37 appearances for the champions.

It's 42 goals for the season for Alfie's lad now - and even the barrel-chested Argentine stick of dynamite who once helped Kompany deliver a decade of unparalleled success to the blue side of Manchester never posted those numbers. Another Argentine, the World Cup-winning Julian Alvarez helped himself to a double, while academy graduate Cole Palmer also got on the scoresheet after coming on as a substitute.

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Kompany has bigger things to concern himself with, of course. His bright Burnley team will be better for this chastening experience when they return as a Premier League side next season. But how this will have hurt the man who was City's spiritual leader on the pitch after joining the club the week before Sheikh Mansour's transformative takeover.

Vincent Kompany given cold reminder of Man City carnage thanks to Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland's sixth hat-trick this season did the damage against Burnley (OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

It's easy to forget that Kompany is still only 36. Until, that is, you see his muscular frame looking barely unchanged from when he was at his peak. Former City team-mates David Silva and Fernandinho are still pulling on their boots and are both a year older.

This was only his 140th game as a manager - and it's one he'll remember forever. His Mancunian wife Carla was with their City-mad kids Kai, Caleb and Sienna in the executive box he still pays for.

There was a handshake from City legend Mike Summerbee and a rousing reception from the fans before kick-off. Then Guardiola gave him a warm embrace - before his team delivered the kiss of death.

Burnley did themselves proud in the opening 31 minutes. Their front-foot approach prompted City to be more Route One than Tika Taka and Lyle Foster forced Stefan Ortega into a diving save with a shot from distance.

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Vincent Kompany has been tipped to succeed Pep Guardian as Man City boss (Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)

But Kompany would have sensed what might happen next. He used to live nights like these at the heart of the action. And sure enough, Burnley were doomed the moment they dropped their guard.

It was only for a second - but that's all it takes when Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden are lurking. Or, as happened at the Etihad, all three in tandem. Haaland, scorer of five Champions League goals just four days earlier, lured Ameen Al-Dakhil in tight before laying the ball off to Alvarez and spinning into the space behind.

When Alvarez's return pass sent him clear, his toe-poked finish found the bottom corner. Haaland didn't score again for all of 179 seconds. Then he steered home Foden’s cross and it was a formality he would go on to complete his hat-trick. It's what he does.

It is the sixth time City have reached the semi-finals under Guardiola. That they have only lifted the trophy once under the Catalan - when Kompany did the honours in 2019 - will irk. As the fans made their way home at the final whistle, many of them stopped to look at the statue of Kompany erected outside the East Stand.