Premier League: Haaland sends Manchester City clear at top as Forest stun Liverpool

Norwegian continues supreme form in 2-1 win over Brentford at Etihad Stadium

Erling Haaland led a 2-1 victory over Brentford. Action Images via Reuters

Erling Haaland's eighth and ninth goals of the season were enough to take Manchester City three points clear at the top of the embryonic Premier League table following a 2-1 victory over Brentford on Saturday.

The Norwegian's double, which overturned Yoane Wissa's 22-second opener, clinched a fourth win from four. The maximum means Pep Guardiola's side are the only team left with a 100 per cent record after Liverpool lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest at Anfield. The defeat was manager Arne Slot's first in charge and a first at home against Forest for 55 years.

Haaland struck twice and was the width of the post away from becoming the first player in Premier League history to score hat-tricks in three successive games as City recorded a win against a side who regularly cause them problems.

The striker had been a doubt for the game following the death of a close family friend but his performance was as good as ever.

The victory underlined City’s strong start to their latest title defence. It may be a difficult time off the field with their long-awaited hearing into alleged breaches of financial rules due to begin next week, but on it all looks in fine order.

City forward Jack Grealish said: "The second showed what [Haaland] is all about. He used his body well and a brilliant finish. It is a pleasure to play with him and hopefully he can continue."

On his own performance, he added: "I've started three or four games in a row now for club and country, I'm starting to feel like I am getting that sharpness back."

Liverpool boss Slot had his honeymoon period ended by a shock 1-0 home defeat to Forest. It was smash and grab with Liverpool unable to score despite their dominance, and then succumbing to Callum Hudson-Odoi's second-half strike.

Slot said: "The result frustrates the most and we cannot be happy about how the game went. It was a stop-start game and we hardly created any chances.

"We only have to look at ourselves, we have to be better. Far too many times we lost the ball around the area, it was not good enough. We have to be better with the ball.

"Our decisions and execution wasn't good enough. In general we defended quite well but the two fast players came on and made it difficult. We took a lot of risk and in the end it was a very good goal."

Elsewhere, Jean-Philippe Mateta’s last-gasp penalty saw Crystal Palace snatch a point against Leicester in a 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park.

Jamie Vardy sent the Foxes ahead in the 21st minute with a low finish into the bottom corner.

However, an energetic start to the second half saw Stephy Mavididi double Leicester’s advantage seconds after the break with a high finish into the roof of the net, but Palace pulled one back just a minute later when Mateta struck from close range.

The France international then earned his brace from the penalty spot in the second minute of stoppage time to rescue a point.

Danny Ings also put on a late show to rescue a point for West Ham, who drew 1-1 with Fulham.

Raul Jimenez handed Fulham the lead in the 24th minute after tapping home at the near post thanks to a low cross from Emile Smith Rowe.

Substitute Ings then earned a point for the Hammers in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Ipswich earned a point on the road after their meeting with Brighton finished goalless.

Arijanet Muric was the hero for Ipswich as the goalkeeper made a brilliant double save just before half-time to keep the score level.