Manchester City 3-0 Wolves
The 22-year-old Norwegian has already scored 25 top-flight goals this season, which would have been enough to have won him last term’s Golden Boot.
City’s 3-0 victory over Wolves means they have won back-to-back league games for the first time since the World Cup, even though Pep Guardiola questioned the desire of his players after last Thursday’s comeback from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham 4-2.
The City boss had also bemoaned the reaction of their fans to falling behind during that game and they had to be patient during a scrappy opening period.
Wolves were determined not to allow City to produce their flowing best and referee David Coote showed early yellow cards to Max Kilman, Mario Lemina and boss Julen Lopetegui.
Haaland and Jack Grealish both had shots saved by Jose Sa and Rodri fired just over before City made the breakthrough five minutes before the break.
Kevin De Bruyne stood up a cross to the far post and Haaland rose to nod home.
City saw penalty appeals waved away when Grealish went down under Nathan Collins’ challenge, while Collins also cleared a powerful Grealish shot off the line.
However, City were awarded a spot-kick five minutes into the second half after Gundogan was felled by in the box by Ruben Neves and Haaland made no mistake from 12 yards.
The Norwegian had already claimed the match ball after home victories over Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United this season and it took just four more minutes for him to score his third goal of this game.
Goalkeeper Sa gifted possession straight to Riyad Mahrez, who had just gone close himself when he headed into the side-netting, and he quickly laid off to the striker.
Haaland could not miss from in front of goal and peeled away to celebrate yet another treble.
Wolves were spared the prospect of further punishment with Guardiola deciding Haaland had done enough and replacing him with Julian Alvarez.
Lopetegui’s side end the weekend only out the Premier League’s bottom three on goal difference.
MORE : Pep Guardiola denies Erling Haaland’s signing has disrupted Manchester City’s flow
MORE : ‘We don’t have it’ – Pep Guardiola lists areas where Manchester City are lacking compared to Arsenal
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