Erling Haaland inspires Man City as Liverpool and Barcelona pick up big wins

Oct 23, 2024 2 min read
Erling Haaland was on target again for Manchester City (Nick Potts/PA)
Erling Haaland was on target again for Manchester City (Nick Potts/PA)

Erling Haaland maintained his phenomenal Champions League scoring record with two more as Manchester City eased to a 5-0 win over Sparta Prague.

Phil Foden, John Stones and Matheus Nunes also struck as City broke a Manchester United streak for the most consecutive games unbeaten in the competition in a one-sided contest at the Etihad Stadium.

Darwin Nunez’s first-half goal was enough to earn Liverpool a 1-0 win at RB Leipzig as the outstanding start to Arne Slot’s reign continued.

Against a club that will soon become a concern of former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, Slot’s men set two new club records – the first Liverpool side to win their first six away games of a season, and the first to triumph in 11 of their opening 12 matches.

Raphinha hit a stunning hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed fellow European heavyweights Bayern Munich 4-1.

The Brazil international opened the scoring inside one minute before former Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski restored Barca’s lead following Harry Kane’s leveller.

Captain Raphinha doubled his tally by delightfully curling home, and then completed his treble with another eye-catching finish as the LaLiga leaders laid down a marker ahead of Saturday’s clash against rivals Real Madrid.

Substitute Marcus Thuram scored in stoppage time as Inter Milan snatched a dramatic 1-0 win at Young Boys.

The Italian champions looked set to be held to a frustrating draw at the Wankdorf Stadium before Thuram steered home Federico Dimarco’s cross in the third minute of added time to break Young Boys’ Hearts.

Celtic produced an impressive response to their thrashing against Borussia Dortmund by holding Atalanta to a goalless draw in Italy.

Brendan Rodgers’ side followed their 7-1 defeat in Germany by keeping their first Champions League clean sheet in seven years.

The result left Celtic on four points from three matches having played their toughest two away fixtures on paper in the eight-game league format.

Pierre Lees-Melou marked his Champions League debut in style with the equaliser in Brest’s 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen at Stade de Roudourou.

It was the visitors who struck first in the 24th minute through Florian Wirtz before Lees-Melou’s brilliant volley levelled proceedings.

Elsewhere, substitute Jonathan David scored twice as Lille came from a goal down to secure a 3-1 win at Atletico Madrid, while 19-year-old Antoni Milambo also bagged a double in Feyenoord’s 3-1 triumph over Benfica in Lisbon.

In the night’s other fixture, Dinamo Zagreb recorded a 2-0 win against 10-man RB Salzburg.

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