Erling Haaland added another chapter to his record-breaking run by scoring a hat-trick in just 38 minutes, delivering a historic performance as Manchester City overwhelmed Nottingham Forest 6-0. The Norwegian striker demonstrated stunning efficiency, carving open defenses with relentless pace and precision.
Etihad Stadium basked in the glow of a player many regard as the planet’s most coveted forward. Haaland, ever hungry for more, fired City ahead and then asserted control with a second salvo minutes later. His quick start set the tone as City applied pressure from the opening whistle, leaving Forest with little chance to respond.
City moved with the swagger of a side in full flow, matching and surpassing the early pace set by Arsenal in recent weeks. In the second half, Crystal Palace briefly threatened to change the tempo by rearranging their defensive shape, but City’s attacking options remained abundant, extending the damage and delighting the fans with a varied display of goals and assists.
Bernardo Silva orchestrated much of the action from the right kind of ball, even as Pep Guardiola took a moment to rest. Kevin De Bruyne began the sequence of presses that unlocked the defense, followed by Mahrez and Julián Álvarez, who seized the moment with a decisive start to City’s revival. Haaland, alongside Álvarez, posed constant questions of the Forest backline, and the Argentine’s clever movement reinforced City’s domination as the game progressed.
Etihad had not hosted Nottingham Forest since 1999, and Steve Cooper faced the task of assembling a revamped squad capable of matching this level of intensity. The match unfolded with a clear narrative: Forest’s five-man defense was quickly breached, and the outcomes spoke for themselves as Haaland opened the scoring within twelve minutes and fired City into a commanding lead that never looked under threat.
Álvarez had warned that he was ready to contribute, and Haaland’s early moral support was matched by the striker’s relentless ambition. When challenged by Sam Byram early on, Haaland shrugged off the attempt and continued to pile on the pressure, driving the ball home and setting the template for the performance. Although there was a moment when a goal was incorrectly flagged for offside, Haaland continued to press and ultimately completed his treble with a well-placed finish in the closing stages of the game.
The duel between Haaland and the Forest defense defined the match. He found space and poise in front of goal, scoring the first, then a second, and finally the third as the visitors failed to stem the tide. His movement, awareness, and finishing were on full display, with his teammates providing the support necessary to sustain the onslaught. The sight of Haaland on the ball, always a threat, helped unlock a cascade of goals that extended City’s dominance well into the match.
Despite some contentious moments at the back for City, the night belonged to Haaland and the rest of the attack. De Bruyne and Mahrez supplemented the scoring with assists and incisive runs, keeping Forest permanently on the back foot. The result left Cityondag with a sense of optimism about their attacking depth, and it underlined the caliber of the squad as they pressed for more in the calendar year.
In the wider context, the win reinforced City’s status as a title-chasing side in the Premier League, while also highlighting the rapid integration of Álvarez into the starting lineup. The Argentine’s clever running and finishing ability added another layer to City’s threat, and his relationship with Haaland continued to develop in tandem with the team’s philosophy of fast, interconnected attacking play.
As the match reached its conclusion, Guardiola’s decisions to balance De Bruyne and Mahrez with the persistent threat of Haaland and Álvarez paid dividends. City closed out with a commanding performance that will be remembered for the depth of their attack, the efficiency of their finishing, and the way Haaland, in particular, dominated the proceedings from start to finish.
With 19 goals in five days, City sent a clear message: there is no room for complacency in a season that promises to be fiercely contested. The duo of Haaland and Álvarez, in particular, demonstrated a mastery of the front line that should worry every opponent in the league as they push City toward another successful campaign.
Data sheet:
6 – Manchester City: Edison; Walker, Stones, Ruben Dias, Cancelo; Rodri, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva; Julián Álvarez, Foden, Haaland.
0 – Nottingham Forest: Henderson; Williams, Worrall, Kopustyte, Mckenna, Lodi; Yates, O’Brien, Freuler; Brennan Johnson and Gibbs-White.
targets: 1-0, art.12: Haaland. 2-0, art.23: Haaland. 3-0, art.38: Haaland. 4-0, m.50: City. 5-0, m.65: Julián Álvarez. 6-0, art.87: Julián Álvarez.
Events: The match was the fifth day of the Premier League, played in front of 53,409 spectators at the Etihad Stadium.