LONDON — Erling Haaland starred with a double as Premier League leaders Manchester City beat Ipswich 3-2, while Liverpool came from behind to seal a 2-1 win at Brentford yesterday.
City are in turmoil off the pitch after being found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules.
On the grass they have made a perfect start, with seven successive league victories marking their best opening to a Premier League season.
City, who are appealing against the guilty verdict after branding it a “Premier League conspiracy”, sit six points clear of champions Arsenal.
Second-placed Arsenal can close the gap with a win at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
With City potentially facing a massive points deduction or even expulsion from the top flight if their appeal fails, it remains to be seen whether their results will even matter by the end of the season.
For now, Enzo Maresca’s side are in fine form after bouncing back from their midweek loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
There was a defiant mood at the Etihad Stadium, where City fans booed the Premier League anthem before kick-off, while thousands waved inflatable bananas to underline their commitment to the club regardless of its plight.
Phil Foden put Maresca’s men ahead in the 19th minute with a sharp turn and finish after Jeremy Doku’s incisive run prised open the Ipswich defence.
Foden’s first goal this season was followed by an Ipswich equaliser in the 21st minute when Daizen Maeda evaded Marc Guehi to fire home.
Haaland restored City’s lead in the 34th minute with a pin-point header from Mateo Kovacic’s cross.
Haaland killed off Ipswich in the 69th minute, sprinting onto Iliman Ndiaye’s pass and steering his shot past Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.
Zian Flemming’s 90th-minute penalty, awarded for a foul by Guehi, set up a tense finale but City held on.
“Very happy with today’s game, we controlled it for 95 minutes. We create chances, we score. We finish a little bit suffering together but overall, it is good,” Maresca said.
