In a dramatic Premier League clash, Erling Haaland’s scintillating hat-trick ensured Manchester City recovered from an early scare to defeat Ipswich 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium. The game took a sharp turn from exhilaration to despair for Ipswich, whose brief lead was quickly extinguished by a relentless City side.
Ipswich fans experienced a fleeting moment of euphoria when Sammie Szmodics, on his Premier League debut following a £9 million transfer from Blackburn, slotted home a goal in the seventh minute. This early advantage was short-lived as City responded with three goals in a whirlwind five-minute period.
Haaland, who was instrumental throughout, scored his first goal from the penalty spot after Leif Davis fouled Savinho. Despite a brief VAR review, the penalty was awarded, and Haaland calmly converted to equalize. Kevin De Bruyne then capitalized on a mistake by Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, who miscontroled the ball, allowing De Bruyne to score and put City ahead.
Haaland continued his dominance with a second goal, heading home from a De Bruyne cross. The Norwegian forward completed his hat-trick in the second half, firing a precise shot into the corner of the net after a chaotic sequence in the Ipswich penalty area.
Despite a promising display from Ipswich, including a notable effort from former City striker Liam Delap, there was no recovering from the early onslaught. Muric, in particular, struggled, adding to Ipswich’s woes with several key errors.
City manager Pep Guardiola praised Haaland’s performance, noting his impressive statistics and potential to rival the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in goal-scoring prowess. “The numbers are ridiculous,” Guardiola said. “He has arrived really well this season, with no Euros and a proper rest.”
Ipswich, despite their defeat, showed promise and resilience, with manager Kieran McKenna acknowledging the lessons learned from the match. “It was a fantastic start,” McKenna remarked. “Then the game was lost in a five-minute spell. We are in an adaptation process, and I’m sure we will improve.”
Manchester City’s power and precision were on full display, reaffirming their status as one of the Premier League’s elite teams, while Ipswich faces the challenge of finding their footing after a difficult return to top-flight football.
