'He was frustrated with the referee' - Pep Guardiola reveals Erling Haaland's disappointment as Man City striker ran rampant in 5-1 win against Wolves

Haaland seemingly felt as though he wasn't getting enough protection from the officials when it came to being manhandled by the Wolves defence, which City boss Pep Guardiola relayed in front of the television cameras after the final whistle.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Guardiola said: "He's a little bit frustrated, but I understand. He was frustrated with the referee. With the long balls sometimes they push him and he is pulled. Yes, it is like that. [The win] looks comfortable but it was not. In the end, we created more chances but in the transition, we were not precise in the last pass. But Erling is back to business. Penalties are a guarantee but the second and fourth [goals] were unbelievable."

Even with some rough treatment, Haaland completed a hat-trick in the first half of the contest at the Etihad Stadium. He scored after 12 minutes, then 35 minutes, getting the third in the third minute of stoppage time before the interval. It is the second time in his Premier League career that he has scored a first-half hat-trick, a feat only previously achieved in the competition by Andrew Cole and Michael Owen. Haaland's fourth of the afternoon came shortly after half-time.

Three more wins will guarantee Manchester City an unprecedented fourth successive league title, no matter what current leaders Arsenal do, thanks to a game in hand. That extra fixture is against a crumbling Tottenham side on May 14, sandwiched in between the visit of Fulham next Saturday and a trip to the capital to face West Ham on the final day. The treble may be gone, but the FA Cup against Manchester United on May 25 could yet mean this season finishes with a domestic double.