Manchester City survived a spirited Ipswich Town fightback to claim a 4-2 victory in a thrilling Premier League encounter, with Erling Haaland stealing the show through a superb hat-trick.
City took the lead in the 18th minute when Phil Foden finished off a pass from Jeremy Doku, giving the hosts an early advantage.
However, Ipswich responded almost immediately, with Daizen Maeda finding the net in the 21st minute to restore parity and remind the hosts that the visitors would not be easy opponents.
The contest remained fiercely competitive as both sides searched for control, with City eventually finding another breakthrough before the interval to take a 2-1 lead into half-time.
Haaland then took centre stage in the second half, extending City’s advantage with two goals, including a clinical finish in the 68th minute before completing his hat-trick in the 85th minute.
The Norwegian striker’s performance proved decisive as City capitalised on their attacking quality to move further ahead despite Ipswich’s determined resistance.
Ipswich refused to surrender, however, and were rewarded late in the game when Zian Flemming converted a penalty in the 90th minute to reduce the deficit to 4-2 after a VAR review awarded the visitors a spot-kick.
Despite the late pressure and extended stoppage time, City held on to secure all three points in front of their home supporters.
The victory strengthens Manchester City’s position in the Premier League title race, while Haaland’s three-goal display once again underlined his importance to the team’s attacking ambitions.
City will now turn their attention to their next assignment as they seek to maintain their momentum, while Ipswich will look to build on their fighting performance despite leaving Manchester without a point.
