Erling Haaland (right) shoots to score Manchester City’s third goal.
London: Erling Haaland starred with a double as Premier League leaders Manchester City beat Ipswich 3-2, while Liverpool came from behind to seal a 2-1 win at Brentford yesterday.
City are in turmoil off the pitch after being found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules.
On the grass they have made a perfect start, with seven successive league victories marking their best opening to a Premier League season.
City, who are appealing against the guilty verdict after branding it a “Premier League conspiracy”, sit six points clear of champions Arsenal.
Second-placed Arsenal can close the gap with a win at Nottingham Forest today.
Phil Foden put Maresca’s men ahead in the 19th minute with a sharp turn and finish after Jeremy Doku’s incisive run prised open the Ipswich defence.
Foden’s first goal this season was followed by an Ipswich equaliser in the 21st minute when Daizen Maeda evaded Marc Guehi to fire home.
Haaland restored City’s lead in the 34th minute with a pin-point header from Mateo Kovacic’s cross.
Haaland killed off Ipswich in the 69th minute, sprinting onto Iliman Ndiaye’s pass and steering his shot past Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.
Zian Flemming’s 90th-minute penalty, awarded for a foul by Guehi, set up a tense finale but City held on.
Liverpool revival
In west London, Liverpool were stunned when Brentford defender Keane Lewis-Potter looped a header past Alisson Becker from Igor Thiago’s cross in the 44th minute.
But the Bees were reduced to 10 men in first half stoppage-time after Yehor Yarmolyuk’s head made contact with Jeremy Jacquet’s face while they waited for a corner.
Liverpool lost Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong to injuries, but still made their numerical advantage count in the 62nd minute.
Victor Munoz cut inside and slotted a composed equaliser past Brentford’s former Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Alexander Isak blasted Liverpool’s winner in the 70th minute after Barcola teed up the Sweden striker for his fifth goal this term.
Pedro Neto’s double condemned Everton to a first defeat of the season as fourth-placed Chelsea won 2-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium despite the loss of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to a head injury.
