Chris Wood scored his seventh goal in eight league games as Nottingham Forest moved back out of the relegation zone with a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.
In their first match since being docked four points by the Premier League for breaching profit and sustainability rules, Forest needed a 61st-minute equaliser from their in-form forward to cancel out Jean-Philippe Mateta’s early strike for the visitors.
Having been plunged into the bottom three following the points deduction, Forest climbed to 17th place on goal difference after Luton fell to defeat at Tottenham.
Forest have this week launched an appeal against their punishment but there was little by way of a rousing response from the players until the second half and they still have only one win from their last 10 league matches.
Before kick-off fans in the Trent End unveiled a large banner which read ‘We shall fight and we shall overcome’ but the spirit in the stands was not matched by the performance on the pitch in the opening 45 minutes and Palace scored with their first real attack just 11 minutes in.
Jefferson Lerma intercepted a loose ball and then played a slide-rule pass to Eberechi Eze, who laid the ball off for Mateta to power in his third goal in his last four appearances, leaving Matz Sels with no chance as he found the top corner.
Three minutes later the lively Eze tried his luck with a free-kick from deep on the left, with Sels taking no chances as he tipped it over at the far post.
Forest had plenty of the ball but no final delivery as Palace, seeking a win which would edge them towards safety, were happy to drop deep, getting all 11 players behind the ball.
There was no service for the returning Wood as Forest failed to test their former goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who replaced the injured Sam Johnstone for Palace.
Seven minutes before half-time Oliver Glasner’s side should have doubled their lead when Adam Wharton’s threaded pass from deep sent Eze through on goal but Sels was out quickly to smother the shot.
Nuno Espirito Santo sent on Anthony Elanga for Ibrahim Sangare at the break but again it was Palace who were quick to threaten, with Eze bending an effort wide after being played in by Wharton following a short corner.
When Callum Hudson-Odoi cut in from the left in the 52nd minute his shot was easy enough for Henderson to punch clear but Forest were starting to find some encouragement and drew level just after the hour.
Morgan Gibbs-White floated a ball in from the left and Wood, with his back to goal, did well to twist and flick a header over Henderson and into the far corner of the net.
Having sat deep for so long Palace tried to up the intensity and Wharton shot wastefully over before Eze brought a good save out of Sels after beating several defenders in a run across the box.
The game went from end to end and in the 74th minute Hudson-Odoi picked out substitute Gio Reyna, who made space for himself before hitting a powerful shot that Henderson parried and Gibbs-White then sent a shot over the bar.
Palace were inches away from a late winner when Neco Williams turned Eze’s corner against his own post in the 87th minute but a draw felt like a fair result in the end.
Frank praises Brentford's pressing, sees no tactical revamp with Toney departure
Thomas Frank heaped praise on Brentford's pressing following their 3-1 victory over Southampton on Saturday.
Bryan Mbeumo scored twice from Brentford's forwards forcing the Southampton backline into errors as the Bees earned their second Premier League win of the season.
This did not go unnoticed by Frank, who believes his side rank as one of the best in the league when it comes to that specific aspect.
He told BBC Sport: "They made errors because we pressed them unbelievably well. I think we are one of the best teams to do the high pressure in the Premier League.
"The players are so committed and that is the reason why we capitalised on errors from Southampton.”
Despite the departure of Ivan Toney to Al-Ahli, Frank does not think their style of play will have to be restructured too much, with both Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa enjoying productive starts to the season in his absence.
Frank said: “Ivan is a fantastic player, I'd love to have him in the team but he has his own journey and is going elsewhere.
"Our style of play hasn't changed. Wissa and Ivan are different players but the style doesn't change.”
Southampton boss Russell Martin was frustrated with his side’s mistakes at crucial moments, believing their performance was far better than the scoreline suggested.
He said to the BBC: “We made two mistakes that we were punished for, which is frustrating and disappointing.
"I saw lots of good things to feel positive about. I feel a lot better this week than I did after the Nottingham Forest game.”
Guardiola has 'no words' for hat-trick hero Haaland
Pep Guardiola was lost for words to describe Erling Haaland after his eighth Premier League hat-trick fired Manchester City to a 3-1 victory over West Ham.
Having scored a treble to help City claim a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town on matchday two, Haaland did likewise on Saturday to keep them perfect as they edged out the Hammers at the London Stadium.
Haaland's seven goals this season are the most any player has ever netted in the first three matches of a Premier League campaign, while only Sergio Aguero (12), Alan Shearer (11) and Robbie Fowler (nine) have ever helped themselves to more match balls in the competition.
Across English football's top four tiers, he is also the first player to score two hat-tricks in a team's first three games of a league season since Bradford City's Paul Jewell in 1994-95.
The Norwegian has now scored more than once in 26% of his Premier League matches (18/69, eight hat-tricks, 10 braces), leaving Guardiola in disbelief.
"There are no words for him," Guardiola told BBC Sport.
"All we can do is make him play better and better and give him as many balls as possible into the box. It's what we have to do. We are there and we added quality.
"This is a team. When you have to run backward, no one asks who has to do it. Everyone has to. When we see Erling doing that, it is fantastic."
Haaland himself, meanwhile, believes having an extended pre-season due to Norway missing out on Euro 2024 has helped him start the season in peak condition.
"I feel good. I feel energised. I had a long vacation and a long pre-season. I'm feeling good," Haaland told City's website.
"The years here have gone quick and it's been going like, 'bam bam bam', now I have a little bit of rest in my body and my feet. I feel really good now and I'm ready for more.
"I feel more refreshed and more energised. So when you do that you can practice on things you want to become better at in training. I feel good. I want to become better. I'm happy."
City sit top of the early-season table with nine points from nine available and saw last season's runners-up Arsenal slip up on Saturday, drawing 1-1 with Brighton and Hove Albion.
Haaland, though, feels it is too early to think about the title race, adding: "They [City's rivals] haven't slipped up yet. Three games, nine points. This is a great start.
"But let's not think too far ahead, because there’s potentially 70 games left this season. Let's breathe a bit and take it game by game."
Lopetegui rues missed opportunity as West Ham lose to Man City
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui was not encouraged by the performance of his team despite losing 3-1 at home to Manchester City in their third league game.
“It is true that City is one of the best teams around the world for sure… but it is also true too that in the second half we have been very close to a draw,” he said speaking to BBC Match of the Day.
“I think we have played one very good second half. The start has been very good for us too.”
West Ham threatened for extended periods of the match and had chances to level the match at 2-1 down, with the best coming from Mohammed Kudus as he smashed a shot against the bar in the second half.
They also started the game brightly before going a goal down inside 10 minutes.
“In my mind we started very well, being aggressive,” said Lopetegui.
“We know in this plan normally they have initiative, it’s very difficult to not concede initiative then. That’s why you have to do a lot of very good things to overcome them.
“In the second half we had chances, I think we kept the ball much more, much more, and didn't concede a lot of chances."
But the hosts were ultimately undone by the brilliant finishing of Erling Haaland, who scored his second hat-trick in as many matches.
“He is one of the best players in the world, that's why he plays for Manchester City,” he said.
“You have to compete with these kind of players. City has the power and the quality to create chances.”
But ultimately, he was left frustrated at the sense of a missed opportunity and that his team were unable to earn themselves a draw that hadn’t seemed implausible during the match.
“Today I think the first goal was a pity for us but I’ve said it. I was happy with the performance think we were able to draw but again they damage us,” he said.
“Against this kind of team, if you make a mistake they don’t forgive. This is the difference they have… A little mistake they punish you, they punish us.
“We have to improve, to know to compete against this kind of team to be close to perfection.
“Don't make mistakes, be calm, defend well… we have quality players too.”
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