Erling Haaland struck twice in five minutes to extend his phenomenal scoring run and send Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Everton at the Etihad Stadium.
The Norwegian forward, fresh from a hat-trick for his country during the international break, now has an astonishing 23 goals in just 13 appearances for club and country this season.
After being kept quiet for much of the first half, the 25-year-old burst into life after the interval, rising highest to head in Nico O’Reilly’s pinpoint cross to open the scoring.
Moments later, he doubled City’s advantage, sweeping home Savinho’s deflected cutback past Jordan Pickford.
Until Haaland’s intervention, it had been David Moyes’ Everton who looked more threatening.
Iliman Ndiaye, lively throughout, intercepted Nathan Ake’s misplaced pass but saw his low cross flash across goal with no one on hand to convert.
The Senegal forward then forced a brilliant fingertip save from Gianluigi Donnarumma with a fierce drive.
City also rode their luck before half-time when Everton defender Jake O’Brien narrowly avoided an own goal after his glancing header clipped the top of his own crossbar.
Savinho twice went close for the hosts before the break, testing Pickford with two low efforts, but it was Haaland who once again proved decisive — his second-half brace enough to secure victory and lift Pep Guardiola’s side back to the summit of the Premier League table.
