Erling Haaland scored a perfect hat-trick inside 38 minutes to make history as Manchester City crushed Nottingham Forest 6-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
After putting City 2-0 up with two early close-range finishes, Haaland converted John Stones’ header to make it nine goals in his first five Premier League games – a new competition record.
Joao Cancelo then extended City’s lead with a long-range effort before Julian Alvarez opened his Premier League account with two more goals on his first start.
The dominant victory ensured Pep Guardiola’s side an unbeaten start to the new season and laid down an ominous marker for any potential challengers, with the champions now fully on the pace.
Dean Henderson made a reflexive save to deny Alvarez on six minutes, but he was on the spot when Haaland poked home Phil Foden’s deflected cross at the near post to give City a 12th-minute lead.
Renan Lodi headed into the side-netting after going unmarked five minutes later and the visitors were made to pay for that mistake as Haaland played Foden superbly before slotting into an empty net.
The Norwegian then made it nine goals for the campaign to end the game as the break approached, taking advantage of some dire Forest defending to head home on the goal line from a deep free-kick.
City picked up where they left off after half-time when Cancelo fired into the top-left corner from the edge of the area, before Alvarez scored his first Premier League start with a goal when he finished low past Henderson in a one-on-one.
Haaland was substituted to thunderous applause before Alvarez added his second late goal, knocking down a loose ball before volleying into the top left corner to add further gloss to the scoreline.