Ruthless Haaland guides City up to familiar heights

On Friday Pep Guardiola suggested Erling Haaland’s teammates should support the Norwegian in the goalscoring stakes. Cut to 48 hours later and guess who did the business yet again - twice - for Manchester City to take them into a 2-1 halftime lead that proved unassailable?

- Jamie Jackson

Nico O'Reilly (second right) guides his shot past Djordje Petrovic to make it 3-1 and guarantee victory for City Phil Foden made his 200th Premier League appearance.

(PAUL ELLIS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

Step forward the phenomenon who now has 13 Premier League goals this season and a seismic total of 98 in 107 appearances in England’s top flight. After him, this year, Burnley’s Maxime Estève - via two own goals - is City’s highest league contributor; Phil Foden, Tijjani Reijnders, Matheus Nunes, Rayan Cherki and Nico O’Reilly (in this game) have all scored once.

Both Haaland’s goals punished Andoni Iraola’s high-line strategy as he burst behind Bournemouth, while O’Reilly scored the third after the break. On 82 minutes Pep Guardiola removed the Norwegian - to the ovation he deserved - and City’s sixth victory of the season put them on 19 points, six behind Arsenal in second, atleast until Sunderland host Everton tonight.

Haaland said: “I think there were a few fantasy football managers that were unhappy that I was subbed off.”