Haaland Back in the Groove with Double as Man City Win at Burnley

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (L) speaks with Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland as they leave the pitch at half-time during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor in Burnley, northwest England on August 11, 2023. (AFP)
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (L) speaks with Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland as they leave the pitch at half-time during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor in Burnley, northwest England on August 11, 2023. (AFP)
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Haaland Back in the Groove with Double as Man City Win at Burnley

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (L) speaks with Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland as they leave the pitch at half-time during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor in Burnley, northwest England on August 11, 2023. (AFP)
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (L) speaks with Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland as they leave the pitch at half-time during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor in Burnley, northwest England on August 11, 2023. (AFP)

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland wasted no time opening his account for the new Premier League season with two goals as the champions began their title defense with a 3-0 stroll against promoted Burnley at Turf Moor on Friday.

Haaland, who bagged a Premier League season-record 36 goals and a total of 52 in all competitions for treble winners City last season, slotted his side in front after four minutes.

A stunning finish by the Norwegian in the 36th put City in cruise control with the only blot on their copybook being an injury to Kevin de Bruyne that forced him off in the first half.

Rodri drove home City's third from close range after 75 minutes to make it a chastening return to the top flight for a Burnley side managed by former City captain Vincent Kompany.

To complete the home side's misery they had substitute Anass Zaroury sent off in stoppage time for an ugly tackle on Kyle Walker, the decision being upgraded from a yellow card by referee Craig Pawson after a VAR check.

If anyone thought 23-year-old Haaland might struggle to match the record-smashing exploits of his first season in England, or whether it might take him a while to get up to speed, they were given an immediate answer.

He looked razor sharp from the opening whistle as City, who had no new faces in their starting lineup, sent out an early warning to any side trying to prevent them from winning a fourth successive English title.

"We started well. We found a goal, we struggled a bit after. We gave away balls, our pass created problems but after a while we played much, much better," Guardiola said.

Poacher’s goal

Haaland's opening goal was a typical poacher's effort, pouncing to jab a shot past goalkeeper James Trafford after Rodri headed a De Bruyne cross back into the area.

Burnley recovered from that early setback quite well and almost punished City for some sloppiness when Lyle Foster curled a shot past the far post.

De Bruyne did not last much longer though, limping off to be replaced by new signing Mateo Kovacic after 23 minutes.

But that did not disrupt City's rhythm and they doubled their lead when a patient build-up ended with Julian Alvarez teeing up Haaland who dispatched a clinical curling effort with his left foot into the net via the far post.

The second half was a lesson in game management by City who were content to run the legs out of Burnley.

They added a third when Rodri, scorer of the goal in the Champions League final exactly two months ago that sealed City's treble, thumped home after Burnley failed to deal with a set-piece played into their penalty area.

Haaland was substituted late on while City also offered a late cameo to new defensive signing Josko Gvardiol.

Burnley's big night did not go to plan on or off the field with the club apologizing for an object being thrown at City's Rico Lewis in the first half.

Kompany, who won two of his four City titles under Guardiola, knows his team must learn quickly.

"You can't feel good with a defeat, but I've seen enough to know we have made progress since the last time we played them," he said, referring to a 6-0 FA Cup quarter-final loss last term.

"This is going to be the worst we play this season, this team is only going to get stronger."



Novak Djokovic Breaks a Tie with Roger Federer for Most Grand Slam Matches in Tennis History

 Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)
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Novak Djokovic Breaks a Tie with Roger Federer for Most Grand Slam Matches in Tennis History

 Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)

Novak Djokovic added yet another record to his lengthy list, breaking a tie with Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam matches played in tennis history by reaching 430 on Wednesday at the Australian Open in what was a tougher-than-expected second-round victory.

Djokovic improved to 379-51 for his career at major tournaments, a .881 winning percentage, by defeating 21-year-old Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 in a match briefly interrupted by light rain before Rod Laver Arena's retractable roof was shut.

“Grand Slams, of course, they are the pillars of our sport. They mean everything for the history of the sport. ... Definitely the most important tournaments,” Djokovic said. “I’m just blessed to be making another record, I guess, today.”

Oh, yes, Djokovic already holds so many marks, many of which used to belong to Federer — who went 369-60 during his 429 Slam matches, a .860 winning percentage — and there are more on the horizon.

As it is, Djokovic has won the most Grand Slam singles titles of any man, 24, ahead of Rafael Nadal's 22 and Federer's 20 (those other two members of the Big Three are now retired). The 37-year-old Serb has spent more weeks at No. 1 in the rankings than any other player. He's played in 37 Slam finals, six more than Federer's old record. And so on and so on.

Consider, too, what could possibly await for Djokovic.

A title at the end of the 15 days at Melbourne Park would be his 25th at a major, a number never reached by any man or woman. It would also be his 11th at the Australian Open, equaling Margaret Court for the most. It would make him the oldest man in the Open era — which began in 1968 — to collect a Grand Slam singles trophy (Ken Rosewall was about six months younger when he won the 1972 Australian Open).

And it would be Djokovic's 100th tour-level tournament title, a nice round number behind only Jimmy Connors' 109 and Federer's 103 in the Open era among men.

Not everything has gone perfectly this week in Australia for Djokovic in his first tournament working with former on-court rival Andy Murray as his coach.

Both of Djokovic's matches so far came against a young player making his Grand Slam debut. And both times, he was pushed to four sets.

In the first round, it was against Nishesh Basavareddy, a 19-year-old American who turned pro only last month and is ranked 107th. In the second, it was Faria, who is ranked 125th, giving him a bit of a hard time, especially during a four-game run in the second set.

“He was playing lights-out tennis. ... I had to weather the storm,” Djokovic said. “I think I responded very well in the third and, particularly fourth, (sets).”