EPL PIX: Manchester City thrash Fulham; Spurs win; Forest stun Chelsea

Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.

Haaland ‘tricks’ Man City to big win

IMAGE: Erling Haaland’s hat-trick powered Manchester City to victory against Fulham, in the English Premier League match, on Saturday. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

Manchester City’s goalscoring machine Erling Haaland netted a second-half hat-trick in a 5-1 thrashing of Fulham on Saturday as the Premier League pacesetters maintained their 100% record.

Julian Alvarez and Nathan Ake opened the scoring for the champions, who have beaten Fulham in their last 15 league meetings, and top the table with 12 points from four games.

But clinical Haaland stole the show yet again with another predatory performance at the Etihad Stadium.

“I’m back. No problem for me. I’m always hungry. It’s a new season and I’m ready for it,” Haaland said of his hat-trick.

“It started a bit sloppy but we ended in a good way. Important win. We go into the international break having won four in four. Good start to the season.”

Fulham, who had scored an equaliser through Tim Ream before being overrun, have four points from their four games.

Haaland, who broke several scoring records last term, added another by becoming the fastest to reach 50 goal involvements in the Premier League with his first of the afternoon. He now has 43 goals and nine assists in 39 Premier League appearances.

The Norwegian has netted six goals this season and five Premier League hat-tricks since joining City last summer.

IMAGE: Erling Haaland scores Manchester City’s fourth goal from the penalty spot. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

The most controversial moment of the game was Ake’s goal seconds before halftime, which appeared set to be ruled out as Manuel Akanji was standing in an offside position in front of Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno and jumped over the ball on its way into the net. But VAR ruled that the goal was valid.

Fulham manager Marco Silva vented his frustration over the decision to referee Michael Oliver.

Alvarez had broken open what had been a pedestrian affair in the 31st minute when Haaland fired a pass square across the edge of the six-yard box that the Argentine tapped in. However, Fulham were back on level terms two minutes later through Ream.

“Every year is like this at this club. We start a bit late and a bit sloppy because we play right until the last game (of every season) because we are the best club,” Haaland said. “It is how it is. We will only get better and better from here.”

Ake then put City 2-1 ahead and in the second half Alvarez repaid Haaland when his flicked pass found the striker behind Fulham’s defence just before the hour and the Norwegian scored.

Haaland then converted a 70th minute penalty after Alvarez was taken down by Issa Diop. The in-form striker sent Leno the wrong way, launching the ball into the top corner.

He was not done for the day, however, completing his hat-trick deep in added time when he fired home a low first-time left-foot shot from a pass by Sergio Gomez.

With City boss Pep Guardiola still recovering from back surgery, assistant manager Juanma Lillo took charge.

“I think (Guardiola) misses us, we also miss him sometimes too,” Haaland said. “So we look forward to having him back.”

Forest grab three points at toothless Chelsea

IMAGE: Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga celebrates scoring the goal against Chelsea. Photograph: Tony Obrien/Reuters

Nottingham Forest substitute Anthony Elanga struck early in the second half to earn a battling 1-0 win at toothless Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

The 21-year-old Swede kept his cool to push the ball neatly past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in the 48th minute after being put through by Taiwo Awoniyi following a Chelsea mix-up in midfield.

“We worked hard and defended well. When we won it back, I was quick enough,” Elanga said.

The hosts’ expensively assembled side had more than 75% possession and spent much of the game buzzing around the Forest goal, passing in tight triangles or relying on surging runs from Raheem Sterling but failing to find the killer shot on goal.

Forest defended solidly, keeping Sterling and target man Nicolas Jackson tightly in check.

Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino still has a lot of work to do in gelling his side, who showed some quality but no ruthlessness. They had 21 shots but managed only two on target.

IMAGE: Chelsea striker Nicholas Johnson misses an easy to score the equaliser against Nottingham Forest. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

Senegalese striker Jackson failed to latch on to crosses from Sterling in the first half and spurned a golden chance to level the match when he chipped the ball over the bar after a goalmouth melee in the 82nd minute.

“Today I think we created chances but we were not good enough in the last third,” Pochettino said told reporters.

“Of course we are disappointed because we made a mistake and we conceded,” he said adding that the team had quality and would mature.

“We need to be positive, keep going. It’s about the process.”

Steve Cooper’s visitors celebrated wildly at the whistle after a battling underdogs’ performance.

Cooper said he was proud of the resolve and desire his side had shown.

“The mental challenge of the game I thought we were really excellent at,” he said. “If we want to get results like today… it comes from within.”

Forest’s three toughed-out points mean they rise to ninth in the Premier League table, two places above their wealthy London hosts.

Son hat-trick fires Tottenham to win

IMAGE: Son Heung-min celebrates scoring the fourth goal for Tottenham Hotspur against Burnley. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min scored a hat-trick – his first goals of the season – as his side demolished Burnley 5-2 after the visitors had gone behind at Turf Moor on Saturday.

Burnley, still without a point, got a dream start when Lyle Foster finished neatly in the fourth minute.

But Spurs soon hit their stride and Son levelled in the 16th with a dinked finish before defender Cristian Romero’s rasping shot gave the Londoners the lead in first-half stoppage time.

James Maddison made it 3-1 with a delightful curled finish in the 54th minute before Son struck twice in quick succession just past the hour mark to complete an emphatic win that put Tottenham second in the table on 10 points from four games.

Burnley grabbed a late consolation through Josh Brownhill.

A League Cup second round defeat by Fulham on penalties in midweek had knocked some of the early optimism surrounding Spurs at the start of the Ange Postecoglou era.

But it returned in spades at Burnley as the Australian’s side produced another free-flowing display with Son at the fore.

The new club skipper lost his long-time strike partner Harry Kane on the eve of the season but showed he has already moved on with a superb performance.

“Burnley away from home is always difficult. We started slow but came back really strong,” Son said.

“I’m the captain but I have great players around me. They help me a lot. My job is really easy and I try to be an example, try to smile and try to take responsibility.”

IMAGE: Son Heung-min scores Tottenham’s fifth goal to complete his hat-trick. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

Burnley actually started well and a fluent move down the left ended with Luca Koleosho showing great pace before cutting a ball back for Foster to stroke a shot past Guglielmo Vicario.

Tottenham were unruffled though and a long pass forward was controlled by Son who exchanged passes with Manor Solomon before delicately chipping the ball over keeper James Trafford.

Burnley had chances to restore their lead in a wide open game with Zeki Amdouni drilling a shot just wide but Spurs were always a threat in attack.

They went ahead on the stroke of halftime as shots from Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Matar Sarr were blocked but the ball fell to Romero who blasted a right-foot shot home from the edge of the penalty area.

Burnley’s expansive style cost them after the break and they were picked off. After the hosts lost the ball Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie fed Maddison who curled home from 25 metres.

New signing Solomon, preferred to struggling Brazil striker Richarlison, got his second assist of the game when he teed up Son in the 63rd minute and the South Korean was then played in by Pedro Porro to complete his hat-trick three minutes later.

Postecoglou said there are still plenty of improvements to be made but the Australian’s impact has been huge so far. He was also effusive in his praise for skipper Son.

“There are some really good footballers at this club and I think they have the ability to play in the way this team needs to set up,” he told reporters.

“Sonny, whether he’s playing central or wide, he’s got all the characteristics — mate he can play in any system — but the way we play he’s ideal.”