Rio Ferdinand has warned this season's Premier League title battle already appears to be "a one-horse race" due to Erling Haaland's fast start to life at Manchester City.
Haaland made it 11 goals in seven league games for City – and 14 in 10 overall – in Saturday's routine 3-0 victory over Wolves, with Jack Grealish and Phil Foden also scoring.
Those 11 top-flight goals have come from just 27 shots and an expected goals (xG) value of 6.5, highlighting just how lethal the 22-year-old has been for his new club.
City are two points clear of second-placed Arsenal, who face Brentford on Sunday, after winning five and drawing two of their opening seven top-flight outings this term.
Liverpool, City's most realistic title challengers this season, are already eight points behind with a game in hand following a slow start to their campaign.
And former Manchester United defender Ferdinand believes Pep Guardiola's men are good value to make it three Premier League titles in a row and a fifth in six seasons.
"It's ominous for everyone else. It's looking like a one-horse race [for the title]," Ferdinand told BT Sport.
"They're only going to get stronger. Haaland has hit the ground like a racehorse. He's taken everybody else's game up a level.
"Grealish answered the critics in a wonderful way with a good performance and a goal. Kyle Walker is coming back.
"So all things are looking positive for them. There will be bumps in the road for every team but this is looking good."
With his strike at Molineux, where Wolves had Nathan Collins sent off at 2-0 down, Haaland is the first ever player to score in each of his first four away Premier League games.
The Norway international now has 100 goals in his past 99 games in all competitions for Borussia Dortmund and City.
On the basis of what he has witnessed so far, Ferdinand backed Haaland to set a new Premier League goals record for a single season.
That is an accolade shared by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, who scored 34 goals in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons respectively, with those campaigns spanning 42 matches.
"He's on the right track. I'm saying 35 [goals]," Ferdinand said. "He's got the ability to break records as he's in a team that absolutely dominates. He's got the hunger and desire."
Asked if Haaland has a shot of pipping the likes of Karim Benzema to win the Ballon d'Or, Ferdinand said: "I'd say he's in contention.
"If he carries on this form, if City win the Champions League, there's no question, there won't be anybody who can get near him.
"He scored with his first touch today. He wasn't involved in the game but he doesn't care about that."
Xavi commits U-turn and elects to stay at Barcelona
Barcelona head coach Xavi will continue in his role next season after an unexpected reversal of his decision to leave at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, according to widespread reports.
The former Barcelona midfielder announced in January that he would walk away from the job at the end of the current season, even though his contract was due to run until the end of the following term.
Xavi acknowledged the Barcelona role had taken its toll but reportedly changed his plans after a meeting with Blaugrana president Joan Laporta on Wednesday.
The 44-year-old was initially appointed as Barca coach in 2021 before leading the LaLiga giants to the top-flight title in the 2022-23 campaign.
Xavi's initial announcement of his intentions to depart Barcelona came after a tough period following defeats to Girona, Real Madrid and Athletic Club before revealing the news in the aftermath of a 5-3 loss to Villarreal.
The Blaugrana turned their fortunes around after that decision became public, though, going 13 games unbeaten across all competitions.
Unsurprisingly, that run encouraged Laporta, vice president Rafa Yuste and sporting director Deco to plead with Xavi to continue until the end of his agreed contract.
Though that undefeated streak ended with a 4-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain that dumped Barcelona out of the Champions League quarter-finals, Xavi has now agreed to stay in his role.
The league title is almost out of reach this term, however, as Real Madrid moved 11 points clear of second-placed Barca with Sunday's 3-2 Clasico victory.
Premier League title race gets Man City's blood pumping - Guardiola
Pep Guardiola relishes the decisiveness of the Premier League run-in, as Manchester City prepare for another huge game in the title race.
The Citizens breezed past Luton Town 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium in their last outing in the competition, but were not in Premier League action at the weekend.
While they booked a place in the FA Cup final with a 1-0 win against Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal went back to the summit by recording wins over Wolves and the Blues before Liverpool also leapfrogged Guardiola’s team with a 3-1 victory at Fulham on Sunday.
City, who will be without the injured Erling Haaland, face Brighton on Thursday, in what is one of their two games in hand on the Gunners.
Asked how he feels going into the final few games of the season with so much on the line, Guardiola said: “Every game is adrenalin. Every game is important. But yes it’s decisive. Every mistake or every step back makes it more difficult. It is what it is.
“We have been here in the last years fortunately many times so that’s why we know what we are playing for.”
Guardiola was also questioned about the criticism levelled at match officials after Nottingham Forest’s strongly worded statement following their 2-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday.
"Absolutely disagree. In every league in the world, this kind of thing will happen more and more, but of course, I never had doubts about that,” said Guardiola.
"They make a mistake, they feel bad. It's normal. When they do the job, they want to do it well. The game is so difficult, it is fast and quick, decisions have to be made in one instant. It's not easy.”
Haaland out of Brighton clash, confirms Man City boss Guardiola
Manchester City will be without Erling Haaland when they take on Brighton, Pep Guardiola has confirmed.
Haaland missed Saturday's FA Cup semi-final victory over Chelsea with a muscular injury he sustained against Real Madrid last week.
And the issue will also see the striker, who has scored 20 Premier League goals this season, miss out against the Seagulls on Thursday.
"Erling is not ready for tomorrow," said Guardiola, who added that City will be able to call on Phil Foden and John Stones.
"It's not a big issue but he's not available."
Haaland has scored, on average, every 109 minutes in the league this season.
However, the Norwegian has actually underperformed his expected goals (xG) of 23.7.
He has also chipped in with five assists, giving him an overall goal contributions tally of 25. Haaland has created 28 goalscoring chances for team-mates across the campaign.
After Arsenal's 5-0 thrashing of Chelsea on Tuesday, reigning Premier League champions Manchester City sit four points off the summit in third place, albeit with two games in hand.
Second-place Liverpool will aim to move level on points with the Gunners by beating Merseyside rivals Everton on Wednesday.
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