Manchester City were 26 minutes into their game with Bournemouth when something happened that has become more and more familiar.
Erling Haaland came back to receive a ball, nodded it back to a teammate, and then set off in the hope of a return. Another common theme of recent months: that ball never reached him.
This one, from Ilkay Gundogan, came closer than most though before it was cut out by a last-ditch tackle. The reason it needed a last-ditch tackle was that Haaland had three teammates making similar runs up the pitch; Jack Grealish was powering up the left, Julian Alvarez was close to the No.9 and Phil Foden was on the right.
Also read: Man City silence critics three times in 45 minutes at Bournemouth
Too often since the World Cup, Haaland has been an isolated figure because there has not been the supporting cast to help him out. It cannot happen every match and Pep Guardiola has spoken extensively about why Grealish and Riyad Mahrez are his preferred picks on the wings, yet it liberated the Norwegian to see the attacking threat shared; it was no longer five-on-one but five-on-four.
It only took two more minutes for Haaland to get a goal from this. Nathan Ake played a ball forward for Gundogan and the German was able to pick out the run of Foden at the back post rather than going the predictable route; Foden's effort was only partially stopped and Haaland smashed in the rebound.
Goals will keep the boring narrative about his place in the team quiet, especially when they are significant ones: this, his 27th Premier League goal, means he has scored more than any other City player has ever scored in a single campaign. With 13 games still to play, that is some way to replace Sergio Aguero.
Haaland could of course have scored more, and hit the woodwork for the second consecutive league game to add to his missed sitter at Forest. But it is so much easier for him to thrive when he is not expected to score every goal that the team do.
Alvarez and Foden both moved into double figures for goals in all competitions for the season, joining Mahrez and Haaland. That is hopefully a step in the right direction for the Blues as they look to tee their season up for the run on silverware that they are hoping and expecting.
Haaland will be front and centre to their chances as he has been all season, yet opposition teams need to know that he is not the only player that can hurt them. That comes from the reputation of the City players arriving for matches, and also the performances when they step onto the pitch.
The more City players pass to other attacking threats, the deadlier Haaland can be.
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