Manchester City 3-0 West Ham: Erling Haaland breaks Premier League record as City return to top of table

Erling Haaland scored a record-breaking 35th Premier League goal of the season as Manchester City returned to the top of the table with a 3-0 win over a depleted West Ham at Etihad Stadium.

The returning Nathan Ake netted his first league goal of the campaign early in the second half before Haaland chipped over goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to move one ahead of previous record holders Andy Cole and Alan Shearer with five games to spare.

Substitute Phil Foden completed the scoring and marked 1,000 goals for City under the leadership of Pep Guardiola.

The result saw City move a point ahead of Arsenal at the summit and with a game in hand.

West Ham’s pre-match preparations were disrupted after Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and Nayef Aguerd picked up a sickness bug and were sent home earlier in the day, subsequently missing the squad.

Despite the upheaval, David Moyes’ side – playing in a 5-4-1 formation – carried out their game-plan perfectly in the first half, limiting Man City to few chances. Rodri had the best opportunity when he struck the bottom of the post.

City’s deputy goalkeeper Stefan Ortega was handed his Premier League debut with Ederson named on the bench, while Kevin De Bruyne was still missing with an injury.

West Ham’s resistance was broken just five minutes after the restart when Ake was left unmarked at the far post to power a header past Fabianski from Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick delivery.

There were signs the Hammers were growing into the game when Haaland put the game beyond doubt with his 51st goal in all competitions, lifting the ball over the onrushing Fabianski from a Jack Grealish pass.

Foden came off the bench to score City’s landmark goal under Guardiola, his volley taking a wicked deflection off Emerson, leaving Fabianski rooted to the spot.

But this was Haaland’s night and his remarkable achievement was celebrated at full-time with City’s players and staff providing a guard of honour to their talisman.

The Citizens will now switch their attention to a home match against Sam Allardyce’s Leeds on Saturday while 15th-placed West Ham, still only four points above the drop zone, host Manchester United on Sunday.

Talking point – Three points and job done for City

Despite the score, this proved a tougher task than Manchester City perhaps anticipated. The subdued atmosphere inside the Etihad suggested the home fans were expectant rather than nervous, but anxiety grew in the stadium when City had failed to find a way through by half-time.

The relief was palpable when Ake netted the opener and the party finally began when Haaland notched his record-breaking goal. Foden put the icing on the cake with City’s 1,000th goal since Guardiola was appointed in August 2016. Job done and another step closer to the Premier League title.

Relegation-threatened West Ham, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their performance. Their fans must have feared the worst when they saw the team sheet but the team put up a fight and ensured their goal difference didn’t take a battering.

Player of the match – Jack Grealish (Man City)

Grealish’s fine run of form continued as he won the free-kick that led to the opener and finished with an assist for Haaland’s goal.

Player ratings

Manchester City: Ortega 7, Walker 6, Stones 6, Dias 6, Ake 7, Rodri 6, Silva 6, Mahrez 5, Grealish 8*, Alvarez 6, Haaland 7

Subs: Foden 7, Akanji 5, Phillips N/A.

West Ham: Fabianski 7, Coufal 6, Kehrer 7, Ogbonna 7, Cresswell 7, Emerson 5, Paqueta 6, Downes 5, Bowen 6, Fornals 5, Antonio 5.

Subs: Johnson 5, Ings 5, Benrahma 5.

Match highlights

32’ – OFF THE POST! City open up the West Ham defence for the first time tonight thanks to intricate passing, Rodri playing a give-and-go with Haaland before slotting his shot against the post.

49’ – GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 WEST HAM (NATHAN AKE): West Ham’s resistance is broken! Mahrez curls a free-kick delivery to the far post, Ake is left unmarked and it’s a simple headed finish for the defender.

70′ – GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 WEST HAM (ERLING HAALAND): Haaland grabs his 35th goal of the Premier League season and now holds the record for most goals in a single campaign. The Norway international does it in style, too, finishing a counter-attack led by Grealish by dinking it over the onrushing Fabianski.

85′ – GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 3-0 WEST HAM (PHIL FODEN): Mahrez’s corner delivery is headed clear as far as Foden, whose first-time volley takes a wicked deflection off Emerson and hits the back of the net, with Fabianski rooted to the spot. It’s 1,000 goals for City now under Pep Guardiola.

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