Haaland Double Sees City Past Ipswich 3-2 for Seven Wins From Seven
Erling Haaland scored twice and Phil Foden added his first goal in more than ten months as Manchester City held off Ipswich, who scored from the spot in the 90th minute.
Manchester City stayed perfect in the Premier League on Saturday, beating Ipswich Town 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium to make it seven wins from seven under Enzo Maresca.
How the goals came
Phil Foden opened the scoring in the 19th minute, tapping in a Jérémy Doku cutback with a first-time finish, according to City's official match report. It was his first start since being sent off in the Manchester derby, and NBC Sports notes it was his first goal in more than 10 months.
Ipswich levelled almost immediately. Daizen Maeda scored in the 21st minute, racing onto a ball over the top, shrugging off Marc Guéhi and finishing into the bottom corner, per City's report.
Erling Haaland put the hosts back in front in the 34th minute, pouncing just before half-time after Mateo Kovačić worked the ball down the right. He added a second in the 69th, outmuscling Abdoul Ouattara to meet a pass from Iliman Ndiaye. City's account says a third Haaland goal, which would have completed a hat-trick, was ruled out by the offside flag.
Ipswich made it nervy at the death. Zian Flemming converted a penalty in the 90th minute after Guéhi fouled Abdul Fatawu, per City's report and Sky Sports' scoreline.
Other moments
City's report also records that Christian Walton punched away an early Rúben Dias strike, that Enzo Fernández was denied one-on-one, and that Ndiaye hit the crossbar.
What it means
The win was City's seventh consecutive league victory, keeping them top with a 100 per cent record. According to the club, Maresca became the first manager to win his first seven Premier League matches in charge of a club, and the start equals City's best-ever winning start to a league campaign, set in 1897/98.
The club also noted that Arsenal can cut City's lead to three points with a win over Nottingham Forest this weekend. City host AEK Athens in the Champions League on Tuesday 20 October.
For newly promoted Ipswich, the late penalty made the scoreline respectable, but the game was settled by Haaland's two finishes.