Haaland nets hat trick as Man City beats Fulham after disputed first-half aim

MANCHESTER, England — Erling Haaland scored a second-half hat trick as Manchester City prolonged its good begin to the English Premier League with a 5-1 dwelling victory over Fulham on Saturday.

Two days after being named UEFA participant of the 12 months, Haaland’s treble helped City draw back from a Fulham crew that drew at Arsenal final weekend and knocked Tottenham out of the League Cup in midweek.

City took a first-half lead by way of Julian Alvarez earlier than Tim Ream equalized for Fulham. The recreation then turned on a disputed aim for the hosts simply earlier than halftime that had Fulham fuming because it left the sector for the break.

Nathan Ake’s headed aim was allowed to face regardless that Manuel Akanji stood in an offside place and in goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s field of regard as he jumped over the ball.

City, and notably Haaland, made that aim much less of a speaking level with a dominant show after the break to safe one other win for absent supervisor Pep Guardiola, who continues to recuperate following again surgical procedure.

After a hesitant begin, City took the lead simply after the half-hour mark when Haaland raced onto a move from Mateo Kovacic and swiped the ball throughout the realm for Alvarez to stab dwelling.

PHOTOS: Haaland nets hat trick as Man City beats Fulham after disputed first-half aim

The benefit lasted simply two minutes. Fulham’s Raul Jimenez lashed a shot at aim from a nook and Ream pounced on the rebound for a tap-in on the far put up.

City regained the benefit from a nook after Ake planted a agency header into the underside nook.

Fulham argued that Akanji’s actions impacted Leno and their protests have been lengthy and laborious, even persevering with after a VAR overview concluded the aim ought to stand.

Manager Marco Silva was livid on the touchline and the gamers have been nonetheless disputing the choice after the ball was positioned within the middle circle for the restart. Referee Michael Oliver didn’t again down and Silva was proven a fourth yellow card of the season.

The stormy finish to the primary half appeared to take its toll on Fulham as City moved by way of the gears within the second interval.