Ipswich Town’s first away match of the Premier League season ended in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of reigning champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Sammie Szmodics opened the scoring with a surprise strike that stunned the hosts, but City responded emphatically with three goals in a rapid four-minute span.
Erling Haaland netted a brace, while Kevin De Bruyne added another, ensuring the champions secured all three points.
From the outset, Manchester City identified and exploited gaps in Ipswich’s defensive setup, particularly targeting spaces behind the visitors’ wing-backs.
Although Town successfully dealt with an early attack on their left side, they were less fortunate when Jeremy Doku lofted a ball over to Haaland, who claimed he was fouled as goalkeeper Arijanet Muric raced out to collect the ball.
Despite the early pressure, Ipswich caught City off guard with their first Premier League goal of the season.
A swift counter-attack saw Ben Johnson deliver a perfectly weighted pass to Szmodics, who made no mistake in finding the back of the net.
Although Ederson managed to get a touch on the shot, it wasn’t enough to prevent the ball from trickling over the line, sending the away supporters into raptures.
However, the lead was short-lived. Manchester City equalized soon after when Savinho’s burst down the left was halted by Leif Davis, who was initially thought to have made a fair challenge.
Referee Michael Salisbury deemed it a dive, but VAR overturned the decision, awarding a penalty that Haaland converted with ease in the 12th minute.
Just two minutes later, Ipswich’s defense faltered again. Muric was caught in possession by De Bruyne, who capitalized on the mistake by slotting the ball into an empty net, putting City ahead 2-1.
City’s relentless pressure continued as De Bruyne orchestrated play from midfield. A perfectly timed lobbed pass found Haaland, who coolly chipped Muric to make it 3-1 in the 16th minute, capping off a blistering period of play for the home side.
As City dominated possession, with 73% by the half-hour mark, they continued to threaten Ipswich’s goal.
Rico Lewis hit the crossbar from inside the box, and De Bruyne came close with a powerful shot from distance, which also struck the woodwork. The Belgian star tried his luck again, narrowly missing the target.
An injury to Omari Hutchinson provided a brief respite for Ipswich, but City soon resumed their assault.
Sam Morsy’s clumsy challenge on Savinho at the edge of the box earned him his first booking of the season. De Bruyne stepped up to take the free-kick but could only hit the wall.
Ipswich had a strong penalty appeal turned down just before halftime when a long pass found Szmodics on the left. As he cut inside, he was challenged by Savinho, but the referee allowed play to continue, and VAR did not intervene.
Before the break, City had one last opportunity as Doku sprinted down the left and delivered a cross to Haaland, who, uncharacteristically, fired over the crossbar.
The second half saw a more fragmented game, with fouls and injuries disrupting the flow. Szmodics and Ruben Dias joined the referee’s book as both teams struggled to find rhythm.
Despite having less possession, Ipswich managed to create several counter-attacking opportunities, though they often hesitated to take their chances. Substitute Jack Taylor had a clear sight of goal but failed to connect with the ball on the edge of the area.
As the match drew to a close, City applied relentless pressure, searching for a fourth goal to seal the victory.
They found it in the 88th minute when Haaland completed his hat-trick with a precise low shot from outside the box, delivering a moment of pure class that left Muric with no chance and wrapped up the scoring.
City’s dominance ensured they maintained their perfect start to the season, while Ipswich, despite moments of promise, were left to reflect on the lessons learned against one of the league’s most formidable opponents.
