Erling Haaland brace fires Man City to top of Premier League

Manchester City climbed to the summit of the Premier League table on Saturday, at least temporarily pending the outcome of the match between Arsenal and Everton.

City moved top after delivering a commanding 3-0 victory over West Ham United in an assured display at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s side maintained their impressive momentum with a seventh consecutive win in all competitions, thanks to a brace from Erling Haaland and a well-taken goal by Tijjani Reijnders, as the champions once again underlined their title credentials.

City wasted no time asserting their authority, racing into an early lead just five minutes after kickoff. Phil Foden delivered a teasing cross into the danger area, where Haaland was perfectly positioned near the penalty spot. Although his initial effort was blocked, the Norwegian striker reacted quickest to the loose ball and thundered a powerful strike past goalkeeper Alphonse Areola to open the scoring. It was Haaland’s 24th goal of the season, further highlighting his remarkable consistency in front of goal.

The hosts continued to dominate possession and territory, pinning West Ham deep inside their own half and dictating the tempo of the game. Despite City’s control, the second goal arrived late in the first half, following a flowing team move that showcased their attacking fluidity.

Rayan Cherki sparked the move by winning possession just outside the penalty area with quick footwork, before slipping the ball into Haaland inside the box. The striker showed great awareness to square the pass to Reijnders, who finished emphatically from close range, lifting the ball into the roof of the net to give City a deserved 2-0 advantage at the interval.

West Ham struggled to make an impact in the opening 45 minutes, but they emerged after the break with renewed intent. The visitors enjoyed their best spell of the match early in the second half, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma forced into an excellent double save shortly after the restart. Jarrod Bowen also posed a threat, going close on two occasions as the Hammers attempted to claw their way back into the contest.

However, City absorbed the pressure calmly and regained control following a triple substitution midway through the second half. The changes proved decisive almost immediately. Savinho picked out Rico Lewis on the right, and his intelligent touch created space for Haaland, who made no mistake in firing home his second goal of the afternoon to put the result beyond doubt.

The strike sealed a comfortable win for Guardiola’s men and capped another dominant performance as they briefly moved to the top of the Premier League standings.

For West Ham, the defeat halted any momentum gained from their improved second-half display, while Manchester City continued their relentless march in the title race with a performance that combined efficiency, control and cutting-edge finishing.