The Norwegian striker came to life in six pivotal minutes in the second half after City's backline had starved Bayern of clear chances
How many times have Manchester City melted in Champions League knockout matches? Latter stage European nights at the Etihad Stadium are synonymous with nerves and anxious moments, but this was a practically serene occasion as Pep Guardiola's side beat a toothless Bayern Munich 3-0 in their quarter-final first leg.
The standout performers were the defenders, with Ruben Dias leading the way in a near-perfect performance, limiting Bayern to hit-and-hope shots from Leroy Sane.
But, as ever, Erling Haaland had his say, delivering a sumptuous cross for Bernardo Silva to head in the second goal before he then fired an extra bullet into Bayern's hearts to give City a surely unassailable three-goal advantage to take with them to Munich next week.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the Etihad…
Getty ImagesWINNER: Ruben Dias and the City defence
Before Tuesday's game, Dias spoke of how he dealt with with the pain of losing the 2021 Champions League final.
"A wise man told me we did not lose the final, we took a step closer to winning it," he said. It was a fascinating insight into the Portuguese's mindset and how he compartmentalises setbacks.
The more obvious side of his leadership skills were, meanwhile, on full display on the pitch here. Dias was a colossus at the back, shackling Serge Gnabry early on and then throwing his body in the way of a goal-bound shot from Jamal Musiala, provoking a howl of frustration from Thomas Tuchel on the sideline.
He barely put a foot wrong in the second half too, and nearly stabbed in a second goal, thwarted by the fingertips of Yann Sommer.
But it was not just Dias – all of City's defenders were on top of their game. Manuel Akanji threw himself into tackles, Nathan Ake was unbeatable and John Stones was exceptional.
City have scored many goals in crunch Champions League games in the past but their defence has let them down. There was little danger of that happening against Bayern, though.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Thomas Tuchel
The mad two-month spell in 2021 when Tuchel won three consecutive games against City as Chelsea manager seems like a world away.
Guardiola completely out-thought his old adversary here and Tuchel had little response.
Hired at the expense of Julian Nagelsmann partly due to his Champions League-winning credentials, the German did not live up to his reputation as a master strategist for the big occasion.
His side barely troubled City in the first half, and although they improved in the second and briefly had their opponents on the backfoot, he failed to capitalise on the momentum.
His substitutions came too late, and Bayern failed to manage City's late surge, in which they effectively put the tie beyond doubt.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Erling Haaland
This was a very different performance than Haaland's last Champions League outing, in which he netted five goals against RB Leipzig.
Beating Bayern demanded more hold-up play and running off the ball, and Haaland did exactly that, producing a disciplined first-half display as City sought to wear the visitors down rather than blitz them.
The blitz came in the second half, when Haaland showed the other side of his game, providing a peach of a cross on to the head of Bernardo. And just for good measure, he provided a goal of his own, delivering an emphatic volley from close range.
That was his 11th Champions League goal for City in only seven appearances, and it meant he became the first Premier League player to score 45 goals in all competitions in a single season, usurping Ruud van Nistelrooy and Mohamed Salah.
If he can keep up his remarkable record in the competition in the remaining games, City's long wait to win the Champions League will surely come to an end.
Getty ImagesLOSER: Dayot Upamecano
When City were struggling and Bayern's confidence was soaring, France defender Upamecano made a catastrophic error to help double the hosts' lead.
He failed to spot the danger from Jack Grealish's pressing and surrendered possession in a crucial area.
Unfortunately for him, City took full advantage, Grealish backheeling the ball to Haaland in a flash and Bernardo nodding home the Norwegian's cross.
But against an opponent like City on an occasion like this, such lapses of concentration are unforgiveable.