Manchester City 4-1 Ipswich Town: Hat-trick hero Haaland sinks Tractor Boys

Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as Manchester City earned a resounding 4-1 triumph over Ipswich Town thanks largely to a barnstorming first-half blitz at the Etihad Stadium.

Sammie Szmodics sparked jubilant scenes in the away end as Premier League new boys Ipswich stole a surprise seventh-minute lead with a brilliant counter-attack.

But Haaland levelled from the spot just five minutes later and, after Kevin De Bruyne capitalised on Arijanet Muric’s error, had Pep Guardiola’s men 3-1 in front with only 16 minutes on the clock.

The Norway star took home the match ball by lashing home a fourth in the closing stages but in truth the damage was long done by that devastating four-minute goal spree.

Szmodics squirmed the opener through the legs of Ederson but Leif Davis hacked down Savinho for Haaland to equaliser after 12 minutes.

Muric’s dithering resulted in De Bruyne rolling into an empty goal and another rush of blood to the head saw Haaland round the goalkeeper to side-foot home from De Bruyne’s excellent throughball after 16 minutes.

Haaland saw his header kept out by Muric’s fine save just after the hour but his excellent 20-yard drive into the bottom-right corner two minutes from time completed the hat-trick.

FULL-TIME | It’s so good to be back home!

4-1 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/gbiMQoBV0f

— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 24, 2024

Data Debrief: Haaland makes it 23 from 23

Haaland has now scored against each of the 23 opponents he has faced in the Premier League after registering against Ipswich.

Only Harry Kane also boasts a 100 per cent record against opponents among players to have faced more than one side.

Each of Haaland’s seven Premier League hat-tricks have come at the Etihad Stadium. Only Thierry Henry has a better record at a single venue in the competition (eight – Highbury).

Kevin De Bruyne has both scored and assisted in 26 Premier League games, the most of any Manchester City player in the competition.