Erling Haaland bags four as Man City bolster title ambitions

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Haaland put City ahead from the penalty spot before rising highest to head home in the far corner from Rodri’s cross.

The striker then sealed his hat-trick in first-half stoppage time with another penalty coolly slotted into the bottom corner.

Hwang Hee-chan pulled one back in the 53rd minute with a low finish at the back post but Haaland immediately restored City’s three-goal lead just minutes later.

Julian Alvarez added a fifth in the 85th minute as City moved within a point of league leaders Arsenal, who earned a 3-0 win against Bournemouth earlier in the day, but with a game in hand.

Bukayo Saka put the Gunners in front just before half-time with a penalty after Kai Havertz had been fouled in the box by goalkeeper Mark Travers.

Declan Rice flicked a brilliant assist with the outside of his boot to set up Leandro Trossard, who doubled their lead in the second-half with a low strike.

The Cherries had a goal ruled out from Antoine Semenyo after Dominic Solanke was ruled to have impeded David Raya in the build-up before Gabriel had an effort disallowed for offside.

Rice then wrapped up victory deep into stoppage time with low finish from a tight angle.

Burnley’s slim hopes of survival were dealt a huge blow after being hammered 4-1 by Newcastle at Turf Moor.

The Magpies dominated in the first half when Callum Wilson fired them ahead before two goals in five minutes just before the break from Sean Longstaff and Bruno Guimaraes gave them a commanding lead.

Newcastle were awarded a penalty in the second half and although his spot-kick was saved by Arijanet Muric, Alexander Isak soon scored his 20th league goal before Burnley earned a consolation in the final stages through Dara O’Shea’s header.

Defeat nudged Burnley closer to relegation after Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 win at Sheffield United left them five points from safety with two games to play.

The already-relegated Blades took the lead through Ben Brereton Diaz’s penalty but their lead was short-lived as Callum Hudson-Odoi equalised 10 minutes later.

Forest went ahead for the first time when Ryan Yates fired in and Hudson-Odoi struck again to claim a vital three points which moves Forest three points clear of 18th-placed Luton with two games left.

Defeat for Sheffield United handed them an unwanted record as they became the first Premier League team to concede 100 goals in a 38-game season.

Elsewhere Brentford and Fulham shared the spoils as the London derby finished goalless.