Haaland's power an indicator of promise for City

A 250th Premier League win for Pep Guardiola, achieved at record speed, and, in a season where no contender is perfect, a seventh title trophy cannot be ruled out.

- John Brewin

The Manchester City of autumn 2025 are a work in progress, low on previous star quality but still full of possibilities. The presence of Erling Haaland, in devastating form, is a cast-iron guarantee they will be sticking around for a while yet.

In the ninth minute Haaland scored his ninth Premier League goal of the season, notching for the ninth game in succession. Played in by Josko Gvardiol, Haaland's unmatchable power and speed completed the job, bustling through Sepp van den Berg and Nathan Collins to clatter past Caoimhín Kelleher. At 25, as a young father, handed a leadership role by his manager, Haaland is thriving under added responsibility.

"I have never felt better than I do now," he said. "It is about preparation, getting ready for the games. You can be physically ready but you need to be mentally ready. With a kid it makes me even better because I disconnect more than ever - I don't think about football at all."