On the European front, the UEFA Nations League again took centre stage – and City striker Erling Haaland led from the front in trademark fashion helping guide Norway to promotion from League B.
Haaland was handed the captain’s armband for Norway’s two November clashes against Slovenia and Kazakhstan and proved in irresistible form once again.
He both scored and provided an assist in a 4-1 triumph over Slovenia before following that up by plundering a brilliant hat-trick as the Norwegians’ despatched Kazakhstan 5-0.
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It represented the 25th hat-trick of his career and took Haaland’s tally of international goals to 38 in total, further extending his position as Norway’s all-time record scorer.
Even more importantly those two victories, allied to Austria’s 1-1 draw at home to Slovenia, ensured the Scandinavians’ finished top of group B3 to seal promotion into League A.
It was a similar tale of success for England with Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis both involved as the Three Lions produced a thrilling finale to pip Greece and finish top of group B2.
Walker captained his country, producing a fine all-round display with City colleague Lewis alongside him in defence and also catching the eye, as England first secured a crucial 3-0 victory away to Greece last Thursday.
That then set the scene for Sunday’s group finale at home to the Republic of Ireland where the Three Lions – with Walker winning his 93rd cap – ran out 5-0 winners, with former City starlet Taylor Harwood-Bellis netting on his debut after coming on as a second half substitute.
The victory was enough to see England top group B2 ahead of the Greeks on goal difference and so secure promotion back to League A.
Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic also played starring roles to help propel Croatia into the Nations League quarter-finals after the final round of group games.
The pair both started as the Croatians slipped to a 1-0 loss away at Scotland but a second half strike from City defender Gvardiol then helped them secure a 1-1 draw at home to Portugal in Monday’s final group A1 fixture.
That was enough to see Croatia finish in second place in the rankings and so secure their place alongside table toppers Portugal in the quarter-finals.
Bernardo Silva didn’t feature in that Split stalemate, but the City playmaker did play a leading role in Portugal’s emphatic 5-1 home success over Poland in their penultimate group fixture.
It has also been a busy few days across the Atlantic with the latest round of CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers taking place.
City’s Ederson and Savinho featured in Brazil’s two qualifiers as the race for a place in the 2026 showpiece intensifies.
The duo started as Brazil fought out a 1-1 draw away to Venezuela in Maturin and then also featured in Tuesday’s clash against Uruguay in Salvador which also ended 1-1.
The draws left the South American giants in fifth place in the CONMEBOL qualifying table with 18 points from their first five games, with the top six assured of a place in the finals which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
