Manchester City overcame a shaky start to secure a 4-1 victory against Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Despite falling behind early to a goal from Sammie Szmodics in the seventh minute, City quickly turned the game around with a flurry of three goals in just five minutes.
Erling Haaland was the standout performer, scoring a hat trick, while Kevin De Bruyne also contributed a goal, helping Pep Guardiola’s side maintain their perfect start to the season. City’s dominance was reflected in the statistics, as they outshot Ipswich 14-1, recorded an expected goals (xG) of 3.15 compared to Ipswich’s 0.24, and controlled 74% of possession.
After defeating Chelsea 2-0 in their season opener, City was without Rodri for this match but welcomed back Ilkay Gundogan in the second half, along with John Stones and Jack Grealish. Ipswich, after a long 22-year absence from the Premier League, faced a tough second match, as their initial lead vanished quickly.
Ipswich had previously enjoyed success in their visits to Manchester City, but with the closure of Maine Road in 2003, they faced a different challenge at the modern Etihad Stadium. Despite Szmodics’ early goal sparking excitement among the Ipswich supporters, City quickly capitalized on defensive mistakes, with De Bruyne and Haaland both finding the net in rapid succession.
Odds were further stacked against Ipswich; key players such as Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, and Nathan Ake remained on the bench, and Rodri was sidelined due to minor injury issues. City rattled the crossbar and had further chances to extend their lead, showcasing their attacking prowess throughout the match.
Looking ahead, Manchester City will face West Ham next Saturday, while Ipswich will play AFC Wimbledon in the League Cup on Tuesday before a home match against Fulham on Saturday.