Wolves had plenty of chances to score before Haaland struck with clinical precision five minutes from the break, completing his hat-trick to silence the competition.
Manchester City’s Erling Braut Haaland celebrates scoring a goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.
Norwegian goalscoring phenom Erling Haaland scored his fourth Premier League hat-trick of a remarkable season to give Manchester City a comfortable 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
City dominated the first half and deservedly took the lead after Haaland headed in Kevin De Bruyne’s precise cross in the 40th minute.
It was only a matter of time before City scored that crucial second goal, as Haaland converted from the spot five minutes after the break after a foul on Ilkay Gundogan. The Norwegian then quickly completed his hat-trick to end the game.
Haaland broke the record held by former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy to be the fastest player with four hat-tricks in the Premier League. Haaland’s four have played 19 games, Van Nistelrooy’s 65.
City led to victory from there by closing the gap to leaders Arsenal to two points, but the Gunners have two games in hand, the first of which is against Manchester United later on Sunday. Wolves remain 17th with 17 points. Haaland had indeed suffered a mini-goal drought after three appearances for City in all competitions before last week’s strike against Tottenham Hotspur, but he certainly brought his shooting boots for visiting Struggling Wolves.
The home side had plenty of chances to break through the block before Haaland struck with clinical precision five minutes before the break and deftly saved his second from the point.
That penalty gave him 30 goals in all competitions with half the season remaining before adding another goal to his tally after a horrific mistake by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa.
His remarkable 25 league goals in 19 games would have been enough to win the Premier League Golden Boot in each of the previous four seasons. Dixie Dean’s record of 60 goals scored in a single league season, set in 1928, remains in sight.