After a summer bursting with unexpected plot lines, a familiar story. As a host of intriguing new characters are added to the cast list, the main man reasserted his dominance. As the Premier League returned, so did Erling Haaland. Perhaps it was the most crushingly predictable start to a season imaginable. For now, Manchester City are top of the table and Haaland is the top scorer. Fast forward nine months and each statement may remain true.

There was, though, something devastatingly awesome amid the sense of the normal. Haaland’s defence of his Golden Boot began within 185 seconds of the opening whistle. He is a fine first-time finisher, but this was a different kind of first touch: his first of the top-flight campaign entered the Burnley net. His second goal arrived before half-time, too, a goal with a devastating blend of power and accuracy. None of which spared him an animated tongue-lashing from Pep Guardiola as they made their way off at half-time but, along with a Rodri goal, it proved too much for Burnley.

Man City boss Pep Guardiola on Kevin de Bruyne’s injury:

“Yes he is injured again. Same issue [as last season] he told me. So that is a problem. We need to go back and reflect with the medical team.

“He was feeling really good and playing really good in the first minutes. But unfortunately he is injured again.”

“Maybe [he shouldn’t have started], but what happens in the first 15 minutes could also have come in the 50th, 65th, 70th minute...”

Man City striker Erling Haaland speaking on Sky Sports:

“Good to start again after two months without football. And good to start with a win of course.

“I think we were quite controlled, for the first game of the season, I think we did quite well. We are still kind of in the ‘starting phase’ of this marathon, but it is about not stressing, relaxing and focusing on ourselves.

“I just need to keep on working, trying to relax, not think too much about things, not focus on the negatives.

“Julian [Alvarez] had a lot of space inside the 16 yard box so I knew if I got the ball I was going to shoot because I was close [to goal]. So I was just trying to think about finishing it if I got the ball, and err I did it quite well! Was a good finish eh?”

Here’s the reaction from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who spoke to Match of the Day saying: “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.

“He [Kevin De Bruyne] was injured again unfortunately. Same place and position as the Champions League and he will be out for a while.

“He [Erling Haaland] wanted the ball in behind to him and that ball hasn’t to be in behind. Sometimes you have to be patient to find the right moment.

“He was not frustrated, I am not frustrated. In football it happens. Don’t be dramatic.

“The first game against a newly promoted will always be difficult. They give everything but we were fortunate to find a goal so quick. We gave chance to them and we have to improve.”

Erling Haaland’s opener for Manchester City, on 3 minutes 4 seconds and scored with his first touch of the new campaign, was the fastest opening goal of a Premier League season since 2018-19, when Paul Pogba netted for Manchester United against Leicester on August 10th 2018 (2 mins, 23 secs).

90+8 mins: Manchester City secure the three points.

They ease past Burnley in the Premier League opener. Erling Haaland was the star of the show in the first half and a spirited performance from Rodri was capped off with a fine goal in the second half.

City showed that they were a class above Burnley tonight but the Clarets will take heart from some decent performances.

90+6 mins: There’s going to be a few more minutes addedd on here after VAR check. A promising performance has turned out to be a bad night for Burnley as they’ve shipped three goals and lost a player.

Manuel Benson is now down with a knock.

Burnley 0-3 Man City

90+3 mins: Josh Brownhill and Nathan Redmond are brought on by Vincent Kompany to replace Lyle Foster and Sander Berge.

Anass Zaroury lunges into a tackle on Kyle Walker to stop him from breaking away. He’s on the full stretch and catches Walker on the back of the calf.

The referee pulls out a yellow card but VAR is taking a look at this one. They call the referee over to the monitor, he watches the replay and reverses his decision.

The red card comes out, Zaroury is off! Burnley are down to 10-men.

90 mins: Zaroury lifts another corner into the Man City box but it’s easily cleared away by the visitors. There’s going to be six minutes of added time to play.

That’s not a horrendous amount given the new guidelines over stoppages.

86 mins: City win a free kick on the right wing where Julian Alvarez knocks it short to Phil Foden. Foden weaves and shakes inside from the wing before hooking a left-footed strike just past the near post.