Erling Haaland continued his blistering start to the season as his quickfire second-half double propelled Manchester City to a 2-0 win over Everton.

The prolific Norwegian took his tally for the campaign to a staggering 23 goals in just 13 appearances for club and country with a decisive intervention in a tight Premier League contest at the Etihad Stadium.

Haaland broke the deadlock with a powerful header on 58 minutes before following up with a left-footed strike five minutes later.

Prior to that City had found Everton stubborn at the back with England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who signed a new contract this week, maintaining his fine recent form.

The visitors, although missing the dynamism of on-loan City player Jack Grealish, were also a threat on occasions at the other end.

Haaland had been having a relatively quiet game but his clinical finishes either side of the hour mark again showed why defences can never rest easy in the 25-year-old's presence.

He has now scored in 11 successive games for either City or Norway and, with 96 Premier League goals under his belt, is fast approaching a century in the competition after just 105 appearances.

Overall, he has scored 138 in 155 games for the club since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

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City's first attempt came when Nico O'Reilly shot wide but they survived a scare after Nathan Aké gave the ball away. Iliman Ndiaye swooped and fired a low ball across the box but a stretching Beto could not make meaningful contact.

Pickford denied Savinho at the other end and City almost took the lead when Jake O'Brien diverted the ball onto the Everton woodwork as Haaland lurked at a corner.

Beto should have hit the target for Everton, although a flag was raised, and Ndiaye forced a good save from Gianluigi Donnarumma after driving into the box.

Haaland led a City break but Jérémy Doku shot tamely at Pickford before the England No. 1 also smothered another effort from Savinho.

Pickford was finally beaten just before the hour as Phil Foden released O'Reilly with a superb through ball and his cross from the right was met by a full-blooded header from Haaland.

Everton tried to respond quickly and James Garner had a shot deflected wide, with appeals for handball coming to nothing.

Moments later the contest was effectively ended as Haaland claimed his second from a Savinho lay-off. It was not a clean strike from the forward but Pickford was unsighted by James Tarkowski and could not keep it out.

Everton battled on and substitute Merlin Rohl headed narrowly wide but Haaland almost had the final say as he was twice denied a hat-trick by Pickford in stoppage time.