Haaland nets 4 goals as Man City routs Wolves 5-1 to stay in control of Premier League title race

By The Associated Press

Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their third goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Richard Sellers/PA via AP)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Richard Sellers]

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Erling Haaland has scored four goals including a first-half hat trick as Manchester City crushed Wolverhampton 5-1 to retain control of the Premier League title race. Pep Guardiola’s team needed to respond to first-place Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Bournemouth earlier Saturday and did so emphatically with another big haul from Haaland. The Norway striker struck twice from the penalty spot in the first half, either side of a towering header, before adding a fourth with a curling strike. Substitute Julian Alvarez also got on the scoresheet for City. Wolves’ consolation came from Hwang Hee-chan. The victory lifted City back within a point of the Gunners. City has three games left while Arsenal has two.