Erling Haaland bagged his second consecutive hat-trick as Manchester City extended their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a 3-1 victory at West Ham.
Pep Guardiola, missing the injured Savinho, welcomed Jack Grealish into the starting lineup and saw his team dominate the first half.
City wasted no time asserting their authority, taking the lead within 10 minutes. A misplaced pass from Emerson Palmieri was seized upon by Bernardo Silva, who delivered a precise ball to Haaland for a low finish.
Despite Kevin De Bruyne hitting the woodwork and Grealish coming close, the Hammers managed a shock equaliser against the run of play. Jarrod Bowen’s cross was inadvertently turned into the net by Ruben Dias.
City quickly restored their advantage. Haaland, given too much space in the box, took a touch before unleashing a powerful shot into the roof of the net. At half-time, Julen Lopetegui made a goalkeeper change, with Lukasz Fabianski replacing Alphonse Areola.
The second half saw City maintain their dominance. West Ham missed a golden opportunity to equalise on a counter-attack when Bowen’s pass found Mohammed Kudus, whose fierce shot from a tight angle struck the post.
City put the game beyond reach when Matheus Nunes threaded a pass to Haaland, who timed his run perfectly and lifted the ball over Fabianski to complete his hat-trick. This follows his three goals against Ipswich Town the previous weekend.
The result consolidates City’s position with three wins from three league games, while West Ham suffer their second defeat of the season.
Pundit Paul Merson has voiced no surprise at West Ham’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City, revealing that he had anticipated the outcome.
“I said it before the game, West Ham didn’t stand a chance against Manchester City,” Merson remarked.
“They’re just too good, too strong, and too well-organized. West Ham’s performance was exactly what I expected.”
Merson’s comments follow a disappointing display by West Ham at the London Stadium, where they were outplayed by Manchester City’s superior quality and firepower.
Despite a more spirited second-half effort, West Ham were unable to recover from an early deficit, eventually falling 3-1.
“I’m not being harsh, but West Ham were never going to win this game,” Merson continued.
“They might have had some moments, but Manchester City’s quality and depth are just too much for them. I’m not surprised by the result, and I don’t think anyone should be.”
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui conceded the significant gap between the two teams, stating, “Manchester City is a team that requires you to be almost perfect to beat them. They have incredible players and many solutions.”
Lopetegui did acknowledge the improvement in his team’s performance after the break. “We made some adjustments and did better. We had more possession, created chances, and defended better. However, it’s frustrating because the players made a big effort, and we deserved more from the second half.”
Despite the defeat, Lopetegui remains hopeful about West Ham’s prospects this season. “We have a good squad, and we can compete against any team,” he said. “We just need to be more consistent and take our chances.”