Erling Haaland continued his blistering form with another hat-trick as Manchester City secured a convincing victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium. The Norwegian striker, who now has seven goals in just three matches this season, was instrumental in maintaining City’s unbeaten start.
Haaland opened the scoring just 10 minutes into the game after being set up by Bernardo Silva, sliding the ball past the West Ham goalkeeper. Despite West Ham equalizing when Ruben Dias inadvertently turned Jarrod Bowen’s cross into his own net, Haaland put City back in front midway through the first half with a powerful strike that left the goalkeeper no chance.
West Ham Fight Back but Fall Short
West Ham struggled to gain control for much of the game but showed signs of life early in the second half. Mohammed Kudus came close to giving the Hammers the lead, striking the woodwork after a quick counter-attack. This chance ignited West Ham’s best period of the match, as they began to put pressure on Manchester City, keeping the visitors on the defensive for a significant stretch.
However, despite their efforts, West Ham couldn’t capitalize on their momentum and failed to truly test City’s goalkeeper, Ederson. Haaland, who had been largely subdued during this period, delivered the final blow late in the match, timing his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and secure his third goal, sealing the win for City.
City Top the Table as Haaland Continues Goal Streak
With this victory, Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League table, boasting a 100% record in the early stages of the season. West Ham, meanwhile, find themselves in 14th place, with just three points from their opening three games.
Haaland’s extraordinary scoring run, which began with a hat-trick against Ipswich in City’s previous league fixture, shows no signs of slowing down. Despite having limited touches, he made the most of his opportunities, scoring from two of his six touches in the first half. His seven goals so far mean he has outscored every other team in the league on his own. Haaland’s latest hat-trick, his 11th for Manchester City, pushes him closer to a century of goals for the club, as he now sits on 70 goals from just 69 appearances.
The summer break, resulting from Norway’s absence from Euro 2024, appears to have left Haaland refreshed and eager for more success this season, with his early performances suggesting he could match or even surpass the 36 league goals he netted in his debut Premier League season.
