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Villarreal became the latest team to fall to the Norwegian striker, who scored in his 9th consecutive Manchester City match. Pep Guardiola's men claimed a largely comfortable 2-0 victory in the Cerámica, with the Portuguese midfielder contributing a second in a first half of evident dominance. Although the home team had moments in the second half, they created minimal consistent threat. After the forward was substituted late on, a collective sigh spread through the ground—his damage had long been done.

Dominant Start from Manchester City

The English side began brightly, with the number nine, Savinho, and Doku linking up to force the Villarreal keeper into an early save. Only later, Haaland headed a opportunity past the post. Pep Guardiola employed a fluid setup, at times resembling a 3-2-4-1, with the defender moving back to the back line when needed. The visitors enjoyed 69% of the ball in the first half, though their control felt more pronounced.

Villarreal Find It Tough to Cope

Marcelino's squad appeared struggling to decipher their opponents' patterns. Villarreal relied on a defensive block and fast counterattacks, but City matched them in physicality and skill. Any glimpses of threat from the hosts were quickly snuffed out, with the defender stopping Mikautadze and Pape Gueye shooting wide.

Patience proved crucial for Manchester City, especially in the build-up to the opening strike.

First Goal Highlights Their Patience

That opening goal on 17 minutes epitomized the team's calmness. The Brazilian and Stones exchanged passes repeatedly on the right flank, drawing the defense wide. Suddenly, the pace shifted—patient movement turned into a quick sequence, Lewis surging into the box and pulling back for Haaland to finish.

Second Goal Confirms the Victory

The second strike was more simple. Once more, Savinho sent in a cross from the right, and Silva arrived free to head home from point-blank.

Second Half Sees Momentary Resistance

While the hosts showed some fight in the second half—with Pépé and teammates testing Gianluigi Donnarumma—City mostly maintained command. The striker went close twice, once with a powerful effort and later with a guided attempt, but the keeper denied him both times.

• Haaland has now scored in nine straight games.
• Manchester City dominated possession with 69% in the first 45 minutes.
• The Spanish team recorded only a handful of attempts on goal.

In the end, it was a efficient performance from City, who continue their impressive form in the Champions League.