Savinho and Haaland propel Manchester City to first place in the English Premier League

The introduction of Savinho at the Etihad Stadium, electric and unbalanced, turning Manchester City’s flanks into fearsome ones, with Doku on the opposite flank, increases the potential of the dominator of the English Premier League that came back in four minutes of madness against Ipswich, with Erling Haaland insatiable with a hat-trick, on the day of Gündogan’s return home.

Even without Rodri Hernandez in charge and Phil Foden’s power, Pep Guardiola’s City are already on the up. Leaders after scoring after a highly effective debut at Chelsea, against a newly promoted team like Ipswich Town who, 23 years later on their return to the elite of English football, were outgrown in the Etihad.

It was Savinho’s debut in his new home. The moment to confirm what he showed at Girona with a higher level of demand. He provides Guardiola with a new asset full of imbalance on the wing. Two flanks that generate tremors when Doku and the Brazilian come together. As prepared to punish the space as to skillfully outflank any rival when the support system fails. Dribbling is highly valued in today’s football and City boasts two of the best.

Haaland celebrates, with more passes from the wings. Greaves grabbed him from behind on his shirt at the first opportunity to prevent him from finishing at ease, but the referee did not consider it sufficient to award a penalty. He went from smelling the danger of City from the start to receiving a blow for his carelessness.

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He lacked the intensity to stop Ipswich’s transition after seven minutes. When Johnson’s pass into space left one of the heroes of the promotion chase in a one-on-one situation, Szmodics finished low in front of Ederson, who touched the ball with his legs before it flew into the net. It was the first goal in the Premier League for a team that could not have had a tougher start: Liverpool and City.

There was no time to examine the resistance. It didn’t matter what their defence was doing, as they made mistakes, exhibiting nervousness, fearful exits from the ball against a giant that doesn’t forgive. Not even two minutes had passed since the joy when Savinho punished his marker with speed and was brought down by Davis in the area. Haaland equalised.

It was four minutes of fury that would take down anyone who doesn’t show personality. And the ‘shot in the foot’ came from an excess of confidence by goalkeeper Muric. He fell asleep with the ball to first step on it and then control it on the right. When he wanted to pass it long, Savinho had already stolen his wallet to leave it on a plate for De Bruyne to score easily.

It took longer to get the ball in between the goals than to score again. De Bruyen saw the movement breaking into Haaland’s space, who headed the ball past the goalkeeper’s desperate rush before accurately scoring the third with his left foot and at an angle. The game was over. It was the 16th minute.

Pep Guardiola’s machinery was starting to go into overdrive with the manager so wrapped up in the game that he entered the pitch when the ball was falling into his area. Ipswich had been overwhelmed by the situation and hoped the game would pass quickly after they had come back. For City, always playing the way De Bruyen wanted, the first act was fun, the second was speculation.

The closing of the match

The dribbling duel began between Savinho and Doku. The crossbar prevented a bigger rout. First, a powerful shot by Rico Lewis, with everything to score in the six-yard box, when he opted for power rather than positioning. Seconds later, a right-footed shot, with a soft landing by De Bruyne.

And when the intensity dropped, when individualism took over from team play, a player appeared for whom nothing is enough. City already lead the Premier League and their top scorer, Haaland, is in the top of the scoring charts. Two were not enough. He looked for him with two shots and a left-footed shot for Doku, until he found him out of nowhere.

Muric had prevented his hat-trick just after the hour mark with the best save of the afternoon. A reaction full of reflexes to Haaland’s header, unmarked, at the far post. He could do nothing two minutes from the end when the Norwegian scored his third goal on his own. From outside the area, receiving the ball with his back turned and within seconds unleashing a shot that was just off the post. 94 goals in 101 games for City. Numbers from another planet.

Manchester / EFE