- Haaland scores his seventh Premier League hat-trick in City’s 4-1 win
- De Bruyne and Savinho shine in a dominant display by the champions
- Joao Pedro’s stoppage-time winner sinks Manchester United at the Amex
Erling Haaland, the Norwegian wonder bagged yet another hat-trick as Manchester City steamrolled the newly-promoted Ipswich Town 4-1, but it wasn’t just Erling Haaland stealing the spotlight.
City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho delivered equally amazing performances in what was a largely enjoyable afternoon for Pep Guardiola's side and City fans, just after an early scare.
That scare materialized just seven minutes in when Ipswich launched a clever counter-attack, allowing Sammie Szmodics to nutmeg Manchester City goalie, Ederson and send the visitors into early ecstasy.
However, their joy was short-lived. Savinho, lighting up the pitch with his electric pace, earned a penalty after a VAR review, and Haaland made no mistake from the spot.
Moments later, the Brazilian winger's relentless pressure forced an error from Ipswich’s goalkeeper, Arijanet Muric, which De Bruyne capitalized on with precision.
However, De Bruyne wasn't satisfied with just an assist, as he nearly broke the crossbar with a powerful long-range shot before setting up Haaland's second goal, which was squeezed in from a nearly impossible angle.
In just over three minutes, City had turned a 1-0 deficit into a comfortable 3-1 lead.
The second half was practically a training session for City, marked by the return of Ilkay Gundogan in his first appearance since rejoining from Barcelona.
But all eyes were on Haaland as he sought his seventh Premier League treble, which he eventually secured with a stunning shot from outside the box.
With this, the Norwegian completed his 10th hat-trick in City colours.
Meanwhile, across town, Manchester United were doing what they do best these days, fumbling spectacularly. Brighton Hove Albion handed them their first Premier League defeat of the season just after two games, thanks to Joao Pedro's stoppage-time header.
This marked the sixth time in two years that the Red Devils have managed to lose a game with a goal conceded after the 90th minute.
United initially went behind after former player Danny Welbeck found the back of the net. An equalizer from Amad Diallo briefly brought back hopes.
At another instance, Alejandro Garnacho thought he'd turned the game around, only for Joshua Zirkzee to finish off his goal-line effort from an offside position.
Liverpool will visit Manchester United's Old Trafford on September 1, with Arne Slot now in charge of the Reds. It's likely to get even tougher for United.
Brighton, meanwhile, will put their flawless start to the Premier League season to test when they visit Arsenal next weekend.
Community Shield: 3 things we learnt as Manchester City edges out Manchester United
Previously, TheRadar reported that Premier League champions, Manchester City, triumphed over FA Cup winners Manchester United with a 7-6 victory in a penalty shootout to win the Community Shield at Wembley on Saturday, August 10.
This victory marked City’s first Community Shield win since 2019, breaking a streak of losses to Arsenal, Liverpool, and Leicester City in previous years.
