Manchester City's Erling Haaland scored an early goal to take the champions provisionally top of the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over lowly Southampton at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
The Norwegian scored twice, including a backheel at shoulder height, as City ran riot against the Czech champions.
Manchester City cruised to their first win in the Champions League this season with Erling Haaland among the goalscorers in a 4-0 thrashing of Slovan Bratislava that did little justice to the visitors' dominance.
Manchester City failed to shrug off the absence of Rodri in a 1-1 draw at Newcastle as they dropped Premier League points for the second consecutive game on Saturday.
It’s the latest remarkable signpost for the greatest goalscorer of his generation, after winning the Premier League Golden Boot in his first two campaigns in England.
Brentford had the perfect start when Yoane Wissa opened the scoring 22 seconds after kickoff to stun the Etihad Stadium but Haaland restored parity in the 19th minute when he scored from a tight angle with just his second touch of the game.
Haaland has been the Premier League's top scorer for the last two seasons and the Norwegian has already netted seven goals in three matches this season, including two hat-tricks.
The 24-year-old Norwegian scored his 11th hattrick for City to extend the champions' perfect start to their title defence, notching up his seventh goal in three league games this season.
Erling Haaland fired Manchester City to the top of the Premier League with a second consecutive hattrick in a 3-1 win at West Ham on Saturday.
Arsenal's collapse in the Premier League title race showed they lacked the mentality and depth to dethrone Manchester City, but if there is any solace Mikel Arteta can take from the season is that they finally have a team that can be title contenders.
The striker has quickly become the face of team and a major reason the treble-chasers captured their third consecutive Premier League title on Saturday
Haaland can fire City to the Premier League title when the leaders host Chelsea on Sunday
It's not an exaggeration to suggest that tonight's Champions League semifinal second leg against defending champions Real Madrid is the biggest game in Manchester City's recent history.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has backed striker Erling Haaland to rediscover his best form when they host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final after the Norwegian failed to find the net at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Norway international Haaland, who has scored a record 51 goals in all competitions for City this campaign, triumphed with 72% of the votes -- the biggest margin since the Premier League began
Videos on social media show Alfie, who used to play for Manchester City, cupping his ear to Real fans after Kevin de Bruyne's stunning equaliser in the 1-1 draw
After the German midfielder had scored a first-half brace to put the Premier League leaders 2-0 up against Leeds United, Guardiola yelled from the sidelines for Haaland to take the penalty they had been awarded in the closing minutes
Haaland set a new Premier League record of 35 goals in a season as he took his tally for the campaign in all competitions to 51 against West Ham on Wednesday
Manchester City's Erling Haaland scored his record-breaking 35th Premier League goal of the season to help secure a 3-0 victory against West Ham United that sent his side back to the top of the table on Wednesday.