Haaland shines as Man City takes the top spot in the Premier League

Match result – Erling Haaland’s outstanding display enabled Man City to easily overcome West Ham, thereby temporarily seizing the Premier League summit from Arsenal.

Right after the kickoff, Man City pushed forward aggressively, dominated possession, and continuously executed short passing combinations to press near the opponent’s goal. West Ham was forced to retreat deep in defense and soon showed their struggle under intense pressure.

In the 5th minute, Erling Haaland became the key figure by capitalizing on a rebound inside the penalty area, finishing decisively to open the scoring 1-0 for Man City.

The early goal boosted the confidence of the sky blues. In the following minutes, Haaland, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders continuously created threats, forcing goalkeeper Alphonse Areola to make several impressive saves.

West Ham barely created any notable chances, while their rare attacks were usually stopped early by Man City’s defense. By the 38th minute, the home side’s dominance was reflected in a second goal. Haaland provided a perfect assist for Reijnders to finish close range, extending the lead to 2-0.

In the final minutes of the first half, Man City maintained control, while West Ham mainly defended and committed fouls to disrupt the attacking rhythm.

Right at the start of the second half, West Ham suddenly created a clear chance when Summerville and Potts fired shots consecutively at Man City's goal, but goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a series of spectacular saves to keep a clean sheet. A few minutes later, Paqueta tried his luck with a long-range shot that went over the bar.

The visitors kept pressing with attempts from Bowen, but their lack of finishing and Man City’s solid defensive cover prevented any goal.

After a period of defense, Man City gradually regained control. In the 69th minute, from a rebound inside the box, Erling Haaland quickly tapped in to make it 3-0.

This goal slowed the pace of the match, although both teams continued to create chances. West Ham frequently substituted players to refresh their tactics but failed to break through the robust home defense. Meanwhile, Man City consistently launched attacks, with shots from Foden and Savinho forcing Areola to make saves.

In the end, Man City secured a 3-0 victory over West Ham. This result allows Pep Guardiola’s team to temporarily take the top spot from Arsenal by one point, though they have played one more match.