How Erling Haaland took his fearsome dominance of the Premier League to another level

In the week, Erling Haaland had dressed up as the Joker to go out on the streets of Manchester for Halloween. At the weekend, he donned the garb of a Manchester City striker to go out on the Etihad Stadium pitch. It is a moot point which is the scarier sight.

Bournemouth’s petrified defence could be forgiven for thinking it was Haaland in a sky blue No 9 shirt. They may have been scarred by a footballer who is bigger and quicker than everyone else galloping away. Not that Haaland subjected them to special punishment. It was simply that, for the fourth consecutive league game at the Etihad Stadium, he struck twice.

Bournemouth kicked off unbeaten since the opening day and as Arsenal’s closest challengers. By the time Haaland had finished, they had ceded that status to City . If the league table may be taking shape after 10 games, the scoring charts certainly are. Haaland’s dominance is such that he has more than twice as many goals as anyone else. Indeed, City are the Premier League ’s most prolific side, though only one of their players has more than one goal in the division this season. Haaland, though, became the third player to score at least two goals in four straight home Premier League appearances, after Robbie Fowler and Luis Suarez.

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Haaland has become Pep Guardiola most important player (Getty Images)

“Have you seen the numbers of that guy?” asked Pep Guardiola . “He lives for the goals.” Only one player has scored more times in the first 10 matches of a Premier League campaign. And he, predictably, is Haaland himself. “I didn't score last game,” noted the Norwegian who, after drawing a blank at Aston Villa, was rested at Swansea. Normal service was resumed on his return.

He received some assistance. From Rayan Cherki , who justified his inclusion ahead of Tijjani Reijnders with a brace of assists. From Bournemouth, too, whose high defensive line was, much like his favourite steaks, fuel for Haaland. This, it seemed, is the downside to Andoni Iraola’s ultra-modern brand of football. It brought the kind of result that Bournemouth can get when adopting any style at the Etihad: they still await their first point at City’s home.

If Haaland’s excellence was predictable, Cherki represented the major positive of City’s afternoon. His maiden Premier League campaign has been interrupted by injury but the Frenchman chalked up 20 assists for Lyon last season. He had two in the first half against Bournemouth and, for good measure, almost scored with a free kick.

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Rayan Cherki set up two of Haaland's goals (Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

“He has the courage to play,” said Guardiola. “He has this special talent, the connection with the people up front that is unique. The vision in the final third is so good.” Although, in this case, Cherki’s vision in the middle third was as key. Indeed, City’s opener brought the rarity of a headed assist from a player’s own half, the summer signing springing Bournemouth’s offside trap to sending Haaland powering clear to slot a shot under Djordje Petrovic.

A more orthodox piece of creativity followed from Cherki, chipping the ball over the Bournemouth defence – with Adrien Truffert rather undermining their offside trap – to burst past Petrovic and find the empty net. “You lose one metre against Haaland and you are not recovering,” said Iraola. “It is going to be three metres at the end of the play. You make the smallest mistakes and they punish you. The timing and the speed was top class.”

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Bournemouth accepted that Haaland was unstoppable (AFP via Getty Images)

Thereafter Petrovic denied Haaland a first City hat-trick of the season, as did Guardiola by substituting him. “There were probably a few fantasy managers who were not so happy,” smiled Haaland. Instead, City’s third goal came from Nico O’Reilly. The marauding left-back had a first-half shot cleared off the line by Marcos Senesi and angled in a shot on the hour.

It finished off Bournemouth, who had begun brightly. Eli Kroupi Junior found the City net after 48 seconds, but he was offside. Iraola’s side levelled courtesy of a first mistake of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s City career, the goalkeeper only contriving to punch Alex Scott’s corner up in the air and allowing Tyler Adams to volley in his first Bournemouth goal. The Italian argued David Brooks had grabbed his arm. His protests brought a booking. Guardiola was no happier. “I'm sorry to tell you we conceded an unbelievable goal for the official,” he complained. Meanwhile, Bournemouth could have struck again, Adams shooting wide and Donnarumma denying Kroupi.

“We played a decent game but this is not enough,” added Iraola. “At this stadium you need to have something special.” Which City had in their No 9. They also had their Ballon d’Or winner back. Rodri’s first appearance in four weeks was as a 90th-minute substitute. His return may be well-timed, with Liverpool visiting next week, with Mateo Kovacic ruled out for months. Yet important as Rodri is, Haaland can feel still more so. He is less the joker than the ace in the pack.