MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Even when Erling Haaland is anticipated to overlook out on the Ballon d’Or subsequent week, his marketing campaign to win it in 2025 is nicely underway.

Actual Madrid winger Vinicius Junior is the favourite to take soccer’s most prestigious particular person prize on Monday in Paris, however Haaland has been in near-unstoppable kind this season.

The Norwegian aim machine scored for the 14th time in 13 video games in all competitions for Manchester Metropolis to ship the defending English Premier League champion to the highest of the standings after beating Southampton 1-0 on Saturday.

He wanted simply 5 minutes to supply the decisive aim at Etihad Stadium, following his double towards Sparta Prague within the Champions League on Wednesday, which included a spectacular heel volley.

His close-range effort towards Southampton was extra routine, but it surely was sufficient to ship Metropolis two factors away from second-placed Liverpool, which performs Arsenal on Sunday.

On a day of late drama, Aston Villa was third however dropped factors after Evanilson scored within the sixth minute of added time to earn Bournemouth a 1-1 draw. Bryan Mbeumo additionally scored in added time to seal a 4-3 comeback win for Brentford towards Ipswich, whereas winless Wolverhampton scored twice late on to attract at Brighton 2-2.

Everton adopted swimsuit when Beto equalized in stoppage time to attract with Fulham 1-1.

Unstoppable Haaland

Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola described Haaland as a “assure for us” after the ahead sealed three factors towards a Southampton workforce that has but to win within the league since its promotion final season.

The league prime scorer for the previous two seasons leads the best way once more with 11 objectives and he may need added to that complete if he had been extra scientific with additional probabilities towards Southampton. Mbeumo is second with eight and Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wooden has seven.

Villa slips

Main the best way within the Champions League, Villa was moments away from shifting inside some extent of Liverpool after Ross Barkley’s aim within the 76th regarded like being sufficient to beat Bournemouth.

However Evanilson dashed these hopes.

Additionally U.S. worldwide Tyler Adams come off the Bournemouth bench to make his first look because the Copa America after again surgical procedure.

Villa nonetheless moved as much as third and some extent forward of fourth-placed Arsenal.

“On the final second we didn’t management the match,” Villa supervisor Unai Emery mentioned. “It’s painful however we’ve to just accept it.”

Late drama

Brentford has been recognized for its quick begins this season after changing into the primary Premier League workforce to attain within the opening minute in three consecutive video games.

In opposition to Ipswich, nevertheless, Thomas Frank’s workforce needed to depend on a last-gasp aim from Mbeumo to seal a comeback 4-3 win.

Mbeumo’s second aim of the match got here within the sixth minute of added time and settled a thriller, by which Brentford went 2-0 down early and blew a 3-2 lead.

“Let’s put it this fashion, after we play, it’s thrilling,” Frank mentioned.

Extra fightbacks

Wolves staged a dramatic fightback of its personal by scoring within the 88th and in stoppage time to salvage the draw at Brighton.

After experiencing the agony of happening to John Stones’ late winner for Man Metropolis final week, Wolves responded impressively.

Gary O’Neil’s workforce went behind to objectives from Danny Welbeck within the forty fifth and Evan Ferguson within the eighty fifth, however staged an inconceivable comeback by way of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha.

Wolves is second from backside with two factors, one forward of last-placed Southampton.

Everton was minutes away from seeing its five-game unbeaten run damaged when trailing 1-0 to Fulham after former participant Alex Iwobi’s aim within the 61st.

However Beto’s header leveled the sport 4 minutes into added time at Goodison Park and lifted the Merseyside membership 5 factors away from the relegation zone.

Fulham’s winless run within the league was prolonged to a few video games.

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer