Manchester City fans ease to win over West Ham
Manchester City 3 - 0 West Ham United
Erling Haaland struck twice as City brushed aside a beleaguered West Ham United to claim a fifth successive Premier League victory and maintain the pressure on Arsenal at the summit.
Author | Macca
Stadium | Etihad Stadium
City briefly moved top of the table with the win, only to be displaced later on Saturday after the leaders responded with victory at Everton.
West Ham, under Nuno Espírito Santo, required a fast start to harbour any hopes at the Etihad Stadium, but those were extinguished within five minutes. Haaland followed up after his initial effort was parried by Alphonse Areola, converting at the second attempt.
The visitors were repeatedly exposed and, moments after opening the scoring, Haaland spurned a gilt-edged chance when he sent a free header wide from close range. Tijjani Reijnders also tested Areola, forcing a smart low save.
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Reijnders did find the net seven minutes before the interval, latching on to Haaland’s pass, driving forward and thumping an emphatic finish into the roof of the goal.
West Ham showed more intent after the break but lacked incision. Jarrod Bowen struck the side netting from a tight angle before dragging another effort wide.
Haaland’s second goal settled the contest and condemned West Ham to a bleak Christmas, with the Hammers marooned inside the relegation zone.
City starting to looking imperious. Can they regain the title?
This was City’s seventh successive win in all competitions, with Pep Guardiola’s side beginning to assemble the kind of momentum that often underpins a serious push for silverware come the season’s end.
Guardiola said early in the campaign that City needed to remain within touching distance of Arsenal by the turn of the year if they were to mount a title challenge, and at this point they appear well placed to pursue the leaders deep into the season.
Haaland’s early opener and his strike in the 69th minute underlined a remarkable campaign. The Norway forward has now scored 19 league goals and 38 in total for club and country, and might have completed his hat-trick in injury time only to drag his effort wide of the far post.
Once Reijnders hammered in the second goal after 38 minutes, the outcome felt inevitable. City extended their unbeaten run to 48 matches against teams who started the day in the relegation zone, a formidable sequence stretching back to 2008.
Alphonse Areola denied Phil Foden and Savinho late on to prevent a heavier defeat, but City’s comfort was reflected in a 20-game unbeaten league run against West Ham, further evidence of a side beginning to look increasingly authoritative in their pursuit of another title.
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