Haaland’s Acrobatic 30th League Goal Help City Reduce Gap to Five Points
Olawale Ajimotokan
Erling Haaland scored twice, including a superb bicycle kick, as Manchester City reduced the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to five points with a comfortable victory at relegation-threatened Southampton.
Haaland, absent from City’s previous league win over Liverpool with a groin injury, displayed his athleticism to meet Jack Grealish’s cross for City’s third and take his remarkable league tally this season to 30 goals in 27 games.
It was also his 44th goal in all competitions for City this season – equalling the most by a Premier League player in a single campaign.
Kevin de Bruyne registered his 100th Premier League assist as he set up Haaland to give dominant City a half-time lead at St Mary’s, before Grealish continued his impressive post-World Cup form as he beat Gavin Bazunu at the second time of asking.
Sekou Mara emerged from the Saints bench to reduce the deficit following Haaland’s acrobatic second, but just 75 seconds later City were awarded a penalty for a foul on De Bruyne which Julian Alvarez calmly converted.
It completed an eighth consecutive win in all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side, who maintained the pressure on Arsenal before the Gunners face Liverpool at Anfield at 16.30GMT today.
Southampton remain four points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table and time is running out for Ruben Selles and his players to rescue their situation.
Elsewhere, Manchester United strengthened their grip on a top-four place and kept Everton deep in relegation trouble with a one-sided victory at Old Trafford.
Scott McTominay’s well-taken first-half effort and Anthony Martial’s first Premier League goal since December were enough to give United 2-0 victory.
However, it should have been more for Erik ten Hag’s men, with Jordan Pickford making a string of fine saves and Aaron Wan-Bissaka somehow failing to finish into an empty net after Antony’s shot had bounced straight back to him off a post.
However, Frank Lampard’s return to Chelsea was greeted with a defeat as Wolverhampton Wanderers eased their Premier League relegation worries with a hard-earned 1-0 victory.
Chelsea legend Lampard was predictably given a rapturous reception from the travelling fans at Molineux following his appointment as caretaker manager 27 months after being sacked from the role.
RESULTS
Man Utd 2-0 Everton
Aston Villa 2-0 N’Forest
Brentford 1-2 Newcastle
Fulham. 0-1 West Ham
Leicester 0-1 Bournemouth
Tottenham 2-1 Brighton
Wolves 1-0 Chelsea
Southampton 1-4 Man City
NPFL
B’Insurance 1-1 Kwara Utd
