Haaland double helps Manchester City hold off Ipswich for seventh straight league win

Manchester City beat Ipswich 3-2 on Saturday as two goals from Erling Haaland helped extend Enzo Maresca’s winning start in the Premier League to seven matches. According to The Guardian’s match report, City moved six points ahead of their nearest challengers, but had to negotiate a late penalty and 12 minutes of added time before securing victory.

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Maresca made six changes to his side, which dominated possession from the outset without immediately creating clear openings. Ipswich manager Gary O’Neil deployed a deep defensive shape, with all 11 players retreating behind the ball when City crossed halfway. The hosts had 90% possession during the opening 15 minutes, while teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi helped direct their play from a deeper position.

Rúben Dias tested Christian Walton with a long-range effort before Jérémy Doku created the breakthrough. Doku worked space on the left side of the penalty area and found Phil Foden, who finished to put City ahead. That advantage lasted only two minutes: Abdoul Ouattara sent a through ball towards Daizen Maeda, who got behind Marc Guéhi and converted to bring Ipswich level.

Haaland then became increasingly involved. A pass from Foden led to a deflected effort over the bar, before the striker restored City’s lead with a header from Mateo Kovacic’s delivery. Walton got his hands to the ball but could not prevent it entering the net. City therefore went into the interval ahead despite Ipswich’s quick response to the opening goal.

Ipswich showed more attacking intent after the break and had an opportunity to equalise when Gianluigi Donnarumma misjudged a corner. Emersonn’s header instead struck the back of a City defender. The home side subsequently struggled to break through again until Iliman Ndiaye supplied Haaland at the end of a move upfield. The forward finished for his second goal, although a later effort that would have completed his hat-trick was ruled out following VAR intervention.

There was another video review late in the game, this time after Guéhi brought down Abdul Fatawu inside the penalty area. Referee Farai Hallam reviewed the incident, and Zian Flemming scored the resulting penalty in the 90th minute. Ipswich were back within one goal, but City retained their lead through the extended stoppage time to complete another league victory.