Erling Haaland Powers Manchester City to 3-1 Victory with Hat-Trick; Arsenal’s Rice Faces Red Card

In Manchester City’s 3-1 victory over West Ham, Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick to propel the team to the top of the Premier League. Meanwhile, Declan Rice was controversially sent off in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton on Saturday. Haaland made sure Pep Guardiola’s club continued their perfect start to the new campaign with his second hat-trick in as many games. Haaland has been the driving force behind City’s victories in their first three games as they attempt to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive English crown.

The striker from Norway scored in the team’s opening weekend victory over Chelsea, scored three goals in the crushing of Ipswich, and destroyed West Ham with his most recent show of his predatory finishing. Haaland, who joined City from Borussia Dortmund, has scored an amazing 70 goals in 69 league appearances.

After a pass from Bernardo Silva, the 24-year-old gave the visitors the lead in the tenth minute. Nine minutes later, City defender Ruben Dias turned Jarrod Bowen’s cross into his own net.

In the thirty-minute mark, Haaland gave City their lead back by drilling into the net’s roof from the area’s edge. In the eighty-third minute, he finished the points with a skillful chipped finish.

Guardiola praised Haaland profusely, stating: “I have no words for him. We can only keep pushing him to play better and harder, and we can only throw as many balls into the box as we can. That’s what needs to be done. We are there and we added quality.

“This is a team. Nobody questions who has to run backward when it’s necessary. Everyone is required to. When we see Erling doing that, it is great.”

Both Arsenal and Brighton had maximum points from their opening two games and the Gunners appeared ready for another triumph when Kai Havertz seized on a Lewis Dunk error to lob in the opening goal.

However, Rice’s dubious first-ever red card came just seconds into the second half of the match.

As Joel Veltman positioned himself to receive a Brighton free-kick, the England midfielder was judged to have booted the ball away and was given a second yellow card. An enraged Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, exclaimed, “I was amazed, amazed, amazed!” “Amazed at how erratic certain decisions may be.

“There are two incidents in the first half, but nothing happens. The ball then strikes Declan in a non-critical region; he turns around, misses the guy approaching, and touches the ball.”

Brighton made fast work of their man advantage when David Raya denied Yankuba Minteh, and Joao Pedro stroked home the rebound.

Bart Verbruggen denied Havertz, and Georginio Rutter missed the mark late in the game for the visitors, giving both teams opportunities to win. But Arsenal had to settle for a point that sees them squander early position in the title chase.