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Demolition derby shows how Manchester City have left rivals Manchester United behind

Goals, hat-tricks, assists — Erling Haaland’s numbers are going north at an extraordinary rate at the start of what promises to be an unparalleled career with Manchester City.

Just about the only figure that won’t change is the £51million City agreed to pay Borussia Dortmund to sign the striker in the summer. Triggering Haaland’s buy-out clause at Dortmund was good business for City, and looks even better after Sunday’s demolition derby at the Etihad.

In December 2019, Manchester United believed they had Haaland signed and sealed. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer thought a deal was in the bag after flying to Austria to speak to Haaland, his former Molde striker who was then at Red Bull Salzburg.