Goal machine Erling Haaland powers Manchester City to victory over Everton

Norwegian star scores in 11th consecutive game for club and country

Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates with teammate Savinho after scoring his team's second goal against Everton at the Etihad Stadium. Getty Images

Manchester City's Erling Haaland kept up his sizzling scoring pace with two goals in five second-half minutes on Saturday to lift Pep Guardiola's side provisionally top of the table with a 2-0 win over Everton.

The 25-year-old Haaland – who scored in an 11th consecutive game for club and country for a season total of 23 goals – broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when he leapt to head home Nico O'Reilly's cross from the left.

The Norwegian doubled City's lead five minutes later when he latched on to Savinho's cross and struck a blistering left-foot shot from the middle of the box that was slightly deflected by Everton's James Tarkowski past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

After two defeats in their opening three Premier League matches, Guardiola's team are now unbeaten in eight games in all competitions.

Haaland proved the match-winner once more with two clinical finishes.

After the win, City manager Guardiola said he was pleased with the result but reiterated that City can't keep relying on Haaland.

“Typical first half after international break. We were not able to control the second balls, it wasn't easy. Everton and David Moyes are doing an incredible job” Guardiola told BBC.

“Disappointed he [Haaland] did not score four or five. All jokes aside, really pleased but we cannot rely on just him, we need other players. Wingers, attacking midfielders. They have to make a step up and score goals. We play to provide Erling with quality and passing but other players have to step up.

“At this level they have to demand themselves. They have to do it otherwise we can't do what we want to do.”

Palace deny Bournemouth

Bournemouth were denied top spot by Jean-Philippe Mateta's 97th minute penalty to complete his hat-trick and salvage a 3-3 draw for Crystal Palace.

Two goals from Eli Junior Kroupi put the Cherries 2-0 up at Selhurst Park at half-time.

Palace lost for the first time in 20 matches in their last outing at Everton.

Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr celebrates after Jean-Philippe Mateta scores against Bournemouth. Reuters

The Eagles avoided another defeat thanks to the in-form Mateta, who was fresh from scoring his first international goal for France.

Mateta struck twice to level before Ryan Christie turned in Marcus Tavernier's cross in the 89th minute to restore Bournemouth's lead.

However, Andoni Iraola's men were denied another huge win when Mateta stroked home from the spot after wantaway Palace captain Marc Guehi was fouled inside the box.

Meanwhile, Newcastle's struggles on the road continued with a 2-1 defeat at Brighton as Danny Welbeck struck twice.

The Magpies have yet to win away in the Premier League this season and slipped to 11th, behind local rivals Sunderland.

The Black Cats climbed up to seventh with a 2-0 victory over Wolves, which left the visitors five points off safety at the bottom of the table.

Burnley climbed out of the bottom three thanks to goals from Lesley Ugochukwu and Loum Tchaouna to beat Leeds 2-0.

The biggest newsmaker of the day, however, was Ange Postecoglou who was sacked as Nottingham Forest manager after a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea.

Postecoglou was removed after just eight games and 40 days in charge at the City Ground, making his the shortest ever managerial stint in Premier League history.

Forest picked up just one point from the Australian's five league games and were also dumped out of the League Cup by second-tier Swansea.

Arsenal on top

Arsenal battled for a 1-0 win at Fulham to remain top of the table.

Leandro Trossard secured the only goal of a tight game.

The Belgian arrived inside a crowded area to get the finishing touch to a flick-on by Gabriel from a corner in the just before the hour mark at Craven Cottage.

Arsenal had earlier been knocked off the top by Manchester City but Mikel Arteta's side responded with a hard-fought win.

The visitors also had a first-half goal by Riccardo Calafiori ruled out for offside and a second-half penalty overturned by VAR but Fulham made Arsenal work hard for a fifth league clean sheet of the season.