Manchester City and Erling Haaland picked up where they left off last season with a comfortable 3-0 win over Vincent Kompany's 10-man Burnley at Turf Moor.
Pep Guardiola's men have headed into the 2023-24 campaign as not only reigning Premier League champions but also treble winners. If there were any questions about whether Haaland was a one-season wonder, they were quickly put to bed by the irrepressible Norweigan frontman's display.
Erling Haaland put Manchester City ahead in just the fourth minute with his very first touch of the new season. Kevin De Bruyne sent a superb cross into the Burnley box which Rodri headed down towards the City striker. He made no mistake in firing Guardiola's side 1-0 up.
The Clarets did show signs of promise during the first half with the likes of Lyle Foster and Luca Koleosho threatening. However, it was the Cityzens who doubled their lead in the 36th minute, and it was that man again Haaland.
The Norweigan struck again but this time it was a ferocious effort that hit the crossbar on its way into James Trafford's goal in the 36th minute. Manchester City were making a statement although there was cause for concern as De Bruyne was forced off with an injury just before Haaland's second.
Guardiola seemed to have an issue with City's frontman at halftime, and the pair argued while trudging off the pitch. It's unclear what the Spanish coach was unhappy with but it speaks volumes of his demands.
Manchester City's UEFA Champions League hero Rodri then got on the scoresheet in the 75th minute from close range. The ball fell to the Spaniard after Burnley failed to clear their lines and he smashed it home.
Haaland was denied the opportunity to grab a hattrick as he departed in the 79th minute. He came off for Cole Palmer while Josko Gvardiol also came on to make his debut for the Cityzens.
Burnley were then down to 10 men when Anass Zaroury was given his marching orders after a reckless challenge on Kyle Walker. The Moroccan was initially given a yellow card but this was overturned and he was subsequently sent off in the 90+4th minute.
It was a comfortable victory for Guardiola's treble winners who began the defense of their league title with all three points at Turf Moor.
Bookmaker Paddy Power played down City's title rivals chances:
"RIP Arsenal/Chelsea/Man United/Liverpool's title challenge. August 11th, 2023 - August 11th, 2023. We hardly knew you."
Here's how Twitter reacted to an impressive victory for Manchester City against Kompany's Clarets:
What Pep Guardiola said to Erling Haaland at halftime of Manchester City's win
Guardiola and Erling Haaland's dispute during halftime was right in front of the TV cameras. The Manchester City manager looked furious with his center-forward despite his two goals putting his side firmly in front.
The Norweigan had took aim at Bernardo Silva for not feeding him during the closing stages of the first half. However, Guardiola took umbrage with this saying that it didn't fit the tempo he wanted from his side (via Manchester City News):
“With two minutes left you want to make more goals? It’s completely the opposite. That’s not right for the tempo."
Erling Haaland was a menace for the Cityzens last season, bagging 52 goals in 53 games across competitions. He broke the record for most goals in a single Premier League campaign with 36 goals in 35 league games.
However, Guardiola still clearly wants the striker to play to his philosophy rather than just add more goals to his extraordinary resume. It was an intriguing argument between the pair that displayed both individuals' passion.
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