Lee Kang-in, Erling Haaland score for their teams

Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick with just four games under his belt after he joined Manchester City of the English Premier League. Manchester City won a home game against Crystal Palace, a fourth-round match of the EPL’s 2022-2023 season, held at the City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester on Saturday. Manchester City, which aims to win its third consecutive championship in the league, maintains a second position with three wins and one tie, chasing Arsenal in the first position.

Haaland who joined Manchester City this season after playing in Bundesliga of Germany until the last season made three goals in just 18 minutes from the 17th-minute mark in the second half of the game when his team was behind 1-2. He scored a header at the 17th-minute mark of the second half and two goals off his colleagues’ passes by powering through the defenders of the opponent team at the 26th and 35th-minute mark. This was the 13th hat-trick in his professional career.

As the Norwegian footballer made six goals in just four games, he currently holds the highest scoring record in the EPL. Six goals in four games after debut in the EPL is the second highest record along with Manchester City’s legendary player Sergio Aguero. Aguero was transferred from Atletico de Madrid to Manchester City in the 2011-2012 season and made two goals in his debut game against Swansea City, one goal against Tottenham Hotspur, and three goals against Wigan Athletic, totaling six goals in his first four games in the EPL. The highest record is held by Diego Costa who scored seven goals in his first four games since his league debut as a member of Chelsea in the 2014-2015 season.

Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola gave three kisses to Haaland with a huge smile on his face as he replaced the hat-trick player 39 minutes into the second half. “Haaland is born to score goals. He has done what he has done all his life since he was born. The last one was especially fantastic,” said the manager. “Haaland shows ruthless efficiency in front of goal. His three-goal burst against Crystal Palace came from seven shots and just 16 touches overall,” said BBC. Haaland showed confidence after the game, saying that he would chase his father’s record.

Meanwhile, Liverpool beat Bournemouth 9-0 on Saturday, recording its first win of the season after two ties and one loss. The nine-goal difference is the biggest tied record since the launch of the EPL in 1992. There were three games that ended with a score of 9-0, including Manchester United against Ipswich Town in March 1994, Leicester City against Southampton in October 2019, and Manchester United against Southampton in February last year. Liverpool scored five goals in the first half of the Saturday game, setting a record for the EPL. “It was the worst game ever. It was painful to be standing at the touchline. Today is the toughest day in my career,” said Bournemouth’s manager Scott Parker.

Lee Kang-in of La Liga club Mallorca scored his first goal of the season 19 minutes into in the league’s third-round game against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. It was his first goal in 11 months since a match against Real Madrid in September last year and his fourth goal in the league, including two goals he made as a member of Valencia.


Jae-Yeong Yoo elegant@donga.com