Haaland Double Sinks Ipswich as Maresca Makes Premier League History

Five-goal thriller at the Etihad

Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City held off a spirited Ipswich Town 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, extending their perfect start under Enzo Maresca to seven consecutive Premier League victories.

Phil Foden ended his long wait for a goal inside 19 minutes, Daizen Maeda levelled for the visitors almost immediately, and Haaland restored City's lead with a towering first-half header before adding a clinical second in the 69th minute. Zian Flemming's late penalty made for a nervy finish, but the champions-elect held firm to preserve their winning run.

It was City's second victory since the club were found guilty last month of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial regulations — a verdict they are appealing — and it kept them six points clear of champions Arsenal at the top of the table. Arsenal can close the gap when they travel to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Foden ends his drought

City took the lead through their academy graduate in the 19th minute. Jeremy Doku cut inside from the left and pulled the ball back for Foden, who turned home from eight yards. It was the England midfielder's first appearance since his red card at Old Trafford last month and his first goal since December 2025, and the roar from the Etihad said everything about what it meant to him.

The joy lasted barely two minutes. Abdoul Ouattara released Maeda with a beautifully weighted ball down the right that arced around the backtracking Marc Guehi, and the Japan international outpaced and outmuscled the England centre-back before sitting Gianluigi Donnarumma down with a composed finish. It was a reminder that this newly-promoted Ipswich side have no intention of simply making up the numbers.

Haaland takes charge

Parity lasted just 13 minutes. Mateo Kovacic drove to the byline and pulled the ball back into the danger area, where Haaland arrived to power a header straight through Christian Walton's grasp. The Norwegian striker is almost impossible to contain in that mood, and he would not stop there.

Nico O'Reilly went close after the restart with a header from a corner, but Haaland soon had his second. Iliman Ndiaye produced a strong run from deep and threaded a defence-splitting pass through to the striker; Ouattara could not keep his footing as Haaland skipped past him and coolly beat Walton. It took his tally for the season to 12 goals.

Haaland thought he had completed a hat-trick when he volleyed home after Ndiaye had struck the bar, only for VAR to intervene and rule the goal out for offside against Enzo Fernandez. The frustration was visible, but greater drama was still to come.

Late VAR drama

Just as City looked ready to cruise home, VAR intervened again — this time in Ipswich's favour. Guehi was adjudged to have fouled Abdul Fatawu inside the area, and Flemming dispatched the penalty to set up a frantic finale. The visitors pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing minutes, but City's defence, marshalled by the same men who had been tested all afternoon, held its line and the three points were secured.

Maresca in the record books

Victory made Maresca the first manager to win his first seven games in charge in the Premier League — a remarkable achievement for a man who inherited a squad carrying the weight of the most serious off-field crisis in the club's modern history. Seven wins from seven, 21 points banked and a six-point cushion at the summit: whatever is happening in the courtroom, the football operation has rarely looked more ruthless.

City's recent results underline the momentum. They beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield earlier in October and have now won every league game this season, while their goals-for column continues to grow thanks in large part to Haaland's relentless output.

Bananas of defiance

The Etihad stands were awash with inflatable bananas throughout the afternoon as City's supporters continued to show their backing for the Abu Dhabi-owned club. The blow-up fruit, a throwback to the supporters' craze of the late 1980s, has come to symbolise their defiance in the face of a potential massive points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League if the appeal against the verdict fails.

It was a strange but stirring backdrop: a club fighting for its future off the pitch while its team keeps winning on it.

The title race picture

Liverpool came from behind to beat nine-man Brentford 2-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium, with Alexander Isak scoring the winner on his return from injury. Newcastle lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa and Fulham edged Hull City 1-0 at Craven Cottage. Arsenal remain City's nearest challengers, five wins from six with a game in hand, and their trip to the City Ground on Sunday now carries even greater weight.