Manchester City continued their 100 percent start to the new season when they beat West Ham United 3-1 on Saturday thanks to yet another Erling Haaland hat-trick.
On an afternoon when title rivals Arsenal slipped up for the first time this term, City ensured they are, for now, the only side sitting on nine point after three games. It was Haaland again who took centre stage for the champions, as he netted three for a second week in a row. That brings his tally up to seven this season, the highest number for any player after three games of a Premier League season.
Haaland was certainly at his best on Saturday, and for long spells so too were City - the first half was the team’s best 45 minutes so far this season. There was real zip to City’s play, a relentlessness that Julen Lopetegui’s side couldn’t deal with. Kevin De Bruyne pulled the strings in the middle, Bernardo Silva brought infectious energy, while Jack Grealish created repeated inroads down the left.
But as always, it was Haaland who provided the decisive moments. He curled the ball effortlessly into the bottom corner after just 10 minutes when Silva pounced on a sloppy Emerson Palmieri pass and slipped in the ruthless Norwegian.
His second, on the half hour mark, was a mixture of poise and power, after four players combined at the edge of the box and teed up Haaland to blast beyond Alphonse Areola. West Ham barely managed an attack in the opening half but did net with one of their rare advances, as Ruben Dias inadvertently knocked the ball past Ederson and into his own goal.
But City should have led by more than one at the break, with De Bruyne hitting the post, Haaland heading wide and Rico Lewis firing over following some neat interplay.
The second period was less dominant from the champions, who were forced to rebuff several dangerous attacks, even if Ederson’s injury-time save to deny Crysencio Summerville was West Ham’s only shot on target after half-time. Mohammed Kudus also went close when his powerful effort smashed off the post.
But City managed to slow the tempo in the latter stages, before Haaland finished the contest off in the 83rd minute when he chipped the ball over lukasz Fabianski to net a 24th career hat-trick. Unsurprinsgly, he topped our post-match ratings...
1. Ederson- 7
Could do nothing about Dias' own-goal and he faced just two West Ham shots on target all afternoon. Ederson produced a top save to deny Summerville late on at the London Stadium.
2. Rico Lewis- 8
Superb in possession and was a constant outlet down City's right. Lewis routinely contributed to the visitors' attacks and registered an assist for Haaland's third.
3. Manuel Akanji- 7
Good on the ball and dealt well with Michail Antonio for the majority of the game.
4. Ruben Dias- 6
The own-goal was poor body shape and decision making, but it was one of the defender's few mistakes. Dias won an important header just seconds before Haaland's third goal.