Haaland hits four as City keep title pressure on Arsenal
Erling Haaland scored four times as Manchester City thrashed Wolves 5-1 to move within one point of Arsenal after the Premier League leaders beat Bournemouth 3-0 yesterday.
City responded to Arsenal’s victory just hours earlier with a goal blitz at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side took the lead in the 12th minute when Rayan Ait-Nouri clattered into Josko Gvardiol, conceding a penalty that Haaland stroked past Jose Sa.
Haaland bagged City’s second in the 35th minute as he rose highest at the far post to meet Rodri’s cross with a majestic header that looped over Sa.
Deep into first half stoppagetime, Nelson Semedo tripped Haaland to give City another penalty that was drilled home by the Norway striker.
Hwang Hee-chan got one back for Wolves in the 53rd minute after a mistake by City keeper Ederson.
But Haaland, who was visibly unhappy to be substituted in the closing stages, made it 36 goals in all competitions this term less as he curled a fine finish into the far corner in the 54th minute.
Julian Alvarez’s 85th minute finish capped City’s sixth consecutive league win, extending their unbeaten run in the competition to 20 games.
The reigning champions, who have a game in hand on Arsenal, will clinch an unprecedented fourth successive English title if they win their last three matches.
They head to Fulham next Saturday before visiting Tottenham on May 14 and hosting West Ham five days later.
“It’s three games, hopefully we win the first and the second and arrive to the third with our destiny in our own hands,” Guardiola said.
Asked about Haaland’s reaction to his substitution, Guardiola added: “He was frustrated with the referee. With the long balls sometimes they push him and he is pulled.
“But Erling is back to business. Penalties are a guarantee but the second and fourth goals were unbelievable.”
At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal cruised to a fourth successive victory, with Bukayo Saka’s penalty putting them ahead on the stroke of half-time.
Leandro Trossard slotted past Bournemouth keeper Mark Travers in the 70th minute before Declan Rice capped a dominant display by scoring in stoppage-time.
Chasing their first title since 2004, Arsenal’s 26th Premier League victory this season equalled the club’s top-flight record for a single campaign.
“It was probably the best first half we’ve played all season,” Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said.
“We were unbelievable. Everything flowing, super composed on the ball. We generated so many chances, we could have gone three, four, five up easily.”
Arsenal travel to Manchester United in their penultimate game next weekend before hosting Everton on May 19.
Burnley’s hopes of avoiding relegation suffered a huge blow as Newcastle ran riot in a 4-1 win at Turf Moor.
Vincent Kompany’s second bottom side are five points from safety, with only two games left to avoid an immediate return to the Championship after last season’s promotion.
Callum Wilson, Sean Longstaff and Bruno Guimaraes all netted for Newcastle before Arijanet Muric saved Isak’s penalty.
Isak made amends when he grabbed his 20th league goal this season, making Dara O’Shea’s 86th minute header no consolation for bedraggled Burnley.
At Bramall Lane, fourth bottom Nottingham Forest took a giant step towards survival with a 3-1 win against Sheffield United.
Gonzalo Montiel brought down Ben Brereton Diaz and the Blades forward picked himself up to lash in the 17th minute penalty.
But Callum Hudson-Odoi grabbed Forest’s equaliser in the 27th minute with a superb strike that curled into the far corner.
Ryan Yates slammed in Forest’s second from close-range after 51 minutes and Hudson-Odoi curled home in the 65th minute.
That gave the Blades an unwanted record as the first club to concede 100 goals in a 38-match Premier League season.
Brighton vs Aston Villa ...... 15.00 Chelsea vs West Ham ........ 15.00 Liverpool vs Tottenham ..... 17.30
C. Palace vs Man. United ...21.00
Birmingham vs Norwich ........ 1-0 Coventry vs QPR .................... 1-2 Ipswich vs Huddersfield ......... 2-0 Leeds vs Southampton .......... 1-2 Leicester vs Blackburn .......... 0-2 M’Boro vs Watford ................. 3-1 Plymouth vs Hull City ............ 1-0 Rotherham vs Cardiff ............. 5-2 Stoke City vs Bristol City ...... 4-0 Sunderland vs Sheff. Wed . .... 0-2 Swansea vs Millwall .............. 0-1 West Brom vs Preston ........... 3-0
Leicester 97; Ipswich 96; Leeds 90; Southampton 87; Norwich 73; WBA 75; Norwich 73; Hull 70; M’Boro 69; Coventry 64; Preston 63; Bristol City, Cardiff 62; Millwall 59; Watford, Sunderland, Stoke, QPR 56; Blackburn, Sheff. Wed. 53; Plymouth 51; Birmingham 50; Huddersfield 45; Rotherham 27.
Oxford vs Peterborough ........ 1-0
Bolton vs Barnsley ............. 21.00
Crawley vs MK Dons .......... 16.00
Crewe A. vs Doncaster ....... 18.30
Aberdeen vs St Johnstone .... 1-0 Celtic vs Hearts ...................... 3-0 Dundee vs St Mirren .............. 1-3 Motherwell vs Livingston ...... 4-1 Ross County vs Hibernian ...... 2-1
Rangers vs Kilmarnock ...... 14.00
Celtic 84; Rangers 78; Hearts 63; Kilmarnock 52; St Mirren 46; Dundee 41.
Hibernian 42; Aberdeen 41; Motherwell 40; Ross County 33; St Johnstone 31; Livingston 21.
returned to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years after beating Huddersfield 2-0 to secure promotion from the Championship yesterday. Goals from Wes Burns and Omari Hutchinson ensured the Tractor Boys became just the fourth side in the Premier League era to go from the third to the top tier via consecutive promotions. Leeds needed an Ipswich defeat coupled with victory over Southampton to leap into the top two. But Daniel Farke’s men lost 2-1 to Saints at Elland Road, meaning he will come up against old club Norwich in the playoff semi-finals.