Our reporter Michael Plant gives his reaction from the Etihad as Manchester City beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 5-1, with Erling Haaland netting four.
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00:00 Manchester City 5 Wolves 1 here at the Etihad Stadium in what was you have to
00:05 say a very comfortable afternoon for the champions. It was also an important
00:09 performance given that Arsenal earlier today had won beating Bournemouth 3-0.
00:13 The City responded emphatically. They moved back to a point behind the Gunners
00:16 and still have obviously that game in hand coming up in about 10 days time.
00:21 It's going to be a crucial match in the Premier League title race but this afternoon the
00:25 story was only about one man Erling Haaland another sublime effortless
00:29 performance from him when he just absolutely bulldozed the Wolves defence.
00:33 Four goals from him all four very well taken. Two penalties one of which he won
00:38 actually which is important to mention. A fantastic header down into the
00:41 bottom corner in the first half as well and the fourth goal I thought it was
00:45 just a superb finish from him. Long ball from Phil Foden under the toe of Haaland
00:49 who took a touch cut inside and just curled the ball past Jose Sá into the
00:53 bottom corner. This was as I say City back to their slick effortless best.
00:57 They really didn't have to put in much effort to put in plenty of goals and I
01:03 think that at half-time Alvaro Correola would have been rubbing his hands
01:06 thinking right just keep this going. They were 3-0 up at half-time.
01:10 First half Hat-trick from Erling Haaland just the second player, sorry third player to
01:15 do that twice in Premier League history. He wasn't done as I say got in the
01:19 action, grabbed another one in the second half and then Julian Alvarez also got in
01:22 the action with a superb finish from him. Down low into the bottom corner in
01:28 the latter stages to give City a fifth goal but for them it feels very much like
01:32 a week off served them well. Rarely City at this stage of the season get seven
01:36 days, well six days it was to prepare for a game and it showed City looked
01:41 back to their best. They've got some really good individual displays from the likes of
01:45 Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and they just keep marching on. They'll know
01:50 that if they win their next three games they are going to be Premier League
01:52 champions and if they play like they did today I have no doubt that they will do
01:56 but at the same time no doubt in who the star of the show was here today
01:59 Erling Haaland with another four goals for Manchester City.