Erling Haaland was on song as Manchester City defeated newcomers Sheffield United 2-1 to continue their perfect start to the Premier League campaign.
Haaland hit the post with a penalty attempt in the first half before his header put City ahead after the break at Bramall Lane.City were on the verge of dropping points until Jayden Bogle equalized against the run of play with just five minutes remaining.
Rodri saved City with a stunning strike three minutes later, sending Pep Guardiola’s team to the top of the table for the third time in a row.City’s latest triumph came without Guardiola, who was watching on television while recovering from back surgery in Barcelona.
The City boss was in constant contact with his assistant Juanma Lillo, who took the reins at Bramall Lane and will also be in charge for the champions’ clash with Fulham on Saturday.
Guardiola’s rehabilitation will have been aided by the knowledge that City can thrive in his absence.
Although he achieved it from afar, it was a landmark victory for Guardiola, who now has 200 league wins with City in just 269 games, beating the previous Premier League record of 326 matches to reach that milestone set by Jose Mourinho in 2020.
For the first time since 2016, City have opened a season with three consecutive league wins in an ominous statement to their title rivals that last season’s treble triumph has not sated their appetite for success.
City should have gone ahead in the 36th minute when Julian Alvarez’s cross was blocked by John Egan’s out-stretched arm.
But Haaland hammered his penalty against the post. The Norwegian stood with a look of disbelief etched on his face as the ball rebounded to safety.
It was Haaland’s first penalty miss in the Premier League after scoring his previous seven.
When Haaland steered another good chance wide from Kyle Walker’s cross, it looked like a day to forget for the striker.
Rodri To The Rescue
Wes Foderingham punched away a close-range chip from Haaland after Mateo Kovacic’s pass.
However, in the 63rd minute, Haaland rewarded City’s territorial control by rising above Jack Robinson at the far post to head his third goal of the season from Jack Grealish’s tempting cross.
City were cruising but Blades substitute Bogle snatched a shock equaliser in the 85th minute.
Walker was guilty of a wasteful backheel inside his own area while playing against the club he supported as a child, extending a United attack that culminated with Bogle’s ferocious strike bouncing in off Nathan Ake.
Rodri hammered into the top corner from 12 yards after Walker redeemed himself by recovering possession outside the United area, and City recovered the lead three minutes later.
Aston Villa won 3-1 at Burnley, with Matty Cash’s double extending Unai Emery’s side’s amazing goal streak.
After losing 5-1 at Newcastle in the season opener, Villa bounced back by defeating Everton 4-0 and Hibernian 5-0.
They made it 12 goals in three games.
Burnley have lost their first two games this term.
John McGinn’s eighth minute pass found Ollie Watkins and his cross was perfectly weighted for Cash to finish with aplomb from close-range.
Cash netted again in the 20th minute, smashing home after a swift exchange of passes with Moussa Diaby.
In the 47th minute, Burnley’s Lyle Foster fired home to become the first South African to score a Premier League goal since Steven Pienaar netted for Everton in 2013.
But Diaby ended Burnley’s uprising in the 61st minute with a clinical finish from Lucas Digne’s cut back.
Later on Sunday, Newcastle and Liverpool meet at St James’ Park in an intriguing clash between two sides with title ambitions.