Haaland's hat trick powers Manchester City over Chelsea 4-2

Erling Haaland's hat trick, with two goals in the first five minutes, propelled Manchester City to a 4-2 victory over Chelsea in a pre-season friendly in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.

The reigning Premier League champions scored twice in rapid succession, 54 seconds apart in the first half and 71 seconds apart in the second half, to take control of the match. This friendly was part of a US tour for both Premier League clubs.

Pep Guardiola passes on instructions to Erling Haaland during Manchester City's win over Chelsea in Ohio

This was the game where everything clicked. A weak Manchester City side inflicted blow after blow on a near full-strength Chelsea side who they face on the Premier League opening day.

City got a first win of the tour, youngsters stepped up, and confidence was flowing through the team by full-time.

Erling Haaland bounced back from his injury doubts with a clinical hat-trick, and Oscar Bobb continued his sparkling form.

The 24-year-old Norwegian striker converted a penalty in the fourth minute and quickly followed up with a powerful right-footed shot into the right corner, making it 2-0 just 17 seconds after the restart, following a Chelsea turnover.

Oscar Bobb extended City's lead to 3-0 in the 55th minute with a left-footed shot after a solo run down the right wing. Haaland then completed his hat trick in the 56th minute, scoring from a tight angle after another Chelsea turnover.

Chelsea's Raheem Sterling pulled one back in the 59th minute, and Noni Madueke added another goal in the 89th, but it was not enough to turn the tide.

This match served as a prelude to the upcoming 2024-25 season, with Manchester City set to face Chelsea on August 18. Later on Saturday, another friendly in the US will see Manchester United play Liverpool in Columbia, South Carolina.