Premier League, Haaland hat-trick. City, Arsenal and Liverpool win

Manchester sweeping against Nottingham Forest. The Gunners beat Aston Villa and lead with full points. The Reds beat Newcastle 2-1 in full recovery

It will not have served to shorten Arsenal, which continues to full sail, but Erling Haaland’s hat-trick is sensational. The goals themselves are certainly not the most complex of his career, but the ease with which he appears in the voice of the scorers becomes more and more impressive. The Norwegian is already at 9, an unprecedented start for a player in Premier League history. It is the unfortunate Nottingham Forest to pay the price, forced six times to collect the ball of the net. Still, Guardiola’s team remains at a safe distance. The Gunners in fact made five out of five, also imposing themselves on Aston Villa, despite the prowess directly from Douglas Luiz’s flag. The points advantage over Manchester City remain two, while Liverpool follow with difficulty the goal of last round, winning in the 97th minute in a comeback thanks to Carvalho. A tough Newcastle put the Reds in difficulty with physique and personality, also thanks to Isak’s debut with a goal: at Anfield he finished 2-1. Equal without goals, however, between Bournemouth and Wolverhampton.

MANCHESTER CITY-NOTTINGHAM FOREST 6-0

There is hardly ever any Etihad game. And Manchester City takes twelve minutes to set the record straight: on the development of a corner kick, Haaland cuts well at the near post and with a paw thrusts Henderson at the near post. At 23 ‘the Norwegian repeats himself, when at the end of an action all of the first triangle with Foden and scores practically empty net. For the hat-trick you have to wait for the 38th minute: Foden and Stones exchange the header, then Haaland stands out from a few steps. At the end of the first half, Alvarez tries from distance but his shot hits the post. There is no respite for Nottingham Forest even in the second half. Cancelo collects from the outside and lets go a bolide on the near post that strikes Henderson (50 ‘). The “manita” is served in the 65th minute: Mahrez serves to perfection the cut of Alvarez, who is good at crossing. The Algerian would also have the ball of 6-0, but in front of the Angola too much. The former River Plate always thinks about giving a tennis tone to the score in the 87th minute, when he collects a shot from Mahrez and throws it under the crossbar. At the end of the race, De Bruyne also has an excellent chance but – and here is the news – he crashes into Henderson.

LIVERPOOL-NEWCASTLE 2-1

It is certainly not the best version of Liverpool, the one played against Newcastle. Eddie Howe decides to set the game openly on the physical level and then go on the restart and the Reds suffer from this kind of attitude. The first flash is by Frasier at 18 ‘, who controls well to follow but shoots high from the edge. Trippier on a non-Angola free-kick and Alisson can block his shot from an excellent position in two (28 ‘). At 34 ‘we also see Klopp’s team: Firmino inspires Luis Diaz, who jumps over the goalkeeper and does not frame the goal in precarious balance. Four minutes later, the guests pass. On Longstaff’s delightful filter, Isak unloads a right under the crossbar on which the former Roma defender can do nothing. Klopp is very nervous, he often protests with the referees, but it is the team that is not brilliant. Isak scares Liverpool when he scores again in the 55th minute, for reasons of centimeters, however, he is in an offside position and the Var intervenes to signal him. At game time we return to a draw: Salah serves Firmino who comes off backwards to hit the net, his diagonal is surgical for the 1-1. Liverpool increase the rounds, Newcastle want to defend the draw. It compacted well and Luis Diaz in the 79th minute was forced to try it from the outside, with Pope lifting for a corner. The systematic fouls of the guests are enough to limit the offensives, the Reds win at the last breath: two minutes over five of recovery, on a corner kick, Carvalho resolves in the scrum with a very powerful turn under the crossbar.

ARSENAL-ASTON VILLA 2-1

The early stages of the match are all in favor of Arsenal. First Gabriel Jesus (10 ‘) and then Gabriel (12’) engage Martinez. Aston Villa shows up with a shot from Buendia in the 28th minute, but the Gunners take the lead two minutes later: Martinelli’s shot is not irresistible, neither is the goalkeeper’s parade and Gabriel Jesus is found ready for tap-in. The first half hour of the second half is not too exciting, until the 74th minute. Douglas Luiz has to take a corner from the left, decides to shoot directly on goal and surprises Ramsdale with a memorable goal. Arteta’s team, however, did not break down and took the lead back: excellent ball lap in the area, Saka crossed for Martinelli who impacted with his left foot, with Martinez who probably could have done better in the circumstance.

BOURNEMOUTH-WOLVERHAMPTON 0-0

The very intense rhythms could have presaged a challenge full of goals and emotions. However, this is not the case at Vitality Stadium. The best chances all happen at Wolverhampton. The first, the biggest, happens at 11 ‘: great inspiration from Pedro Neto, the ball reaches Nunes in the center of the area who turns it into the goal but hits the crossbar. Shortly after, Jimenez also tries with his head, with Neto – the former Juventus goalkeeper – who neutralizes. The game becomes less and less enjoyable, the last attempt is by Guedes in the 74th minute who tries to worry the goalkeeper from outside the box without framing the mirror of the goal.

ttn-14