Haaland scores perfect hat-trick as City thrash Forest

Erling Haaland scored a perfect hat-trick inside 38 minutes to make history as Manchester City crushed Nottingham Forest 6-0 at the Etihad Stadium. Having put City 2-0 up with two early close-range finishes, Haaland converted from John Stones’ header to make it nine goals in his first five Premier League matches – a new competition record.

Joao Cancelo then extended City’s lead further with a fine long-range effort, before Julian Alvarez opened his Premier League account with two more goals on his first start. The dominant win ensured Pep Guardiola’s side maintained their unbeaten start to the new season and laid down an ominous marker to any would-be challengers, with the champions now fully up to speed.

Dean Henderson made a reflex save to deny Alvarez six minutes in, but he was rooted to the spot when Haaland poked Phil Foden’s deflected cross inside the near post to hand City a 12th-minute lead. Renan Lodi headed into the side netting when left unmarked five minutes later, and the visitors were made to pay for that miss when Haaland played a fine give-and-go with Foden before rolling into an empty net.

The Norwegian then made it nine goals for the campaign to kill the contest as the break approached, taking advantage of some dire Forest defending to head home on the goal-line following a deep free-kick.