Haaland hat-trick helps Man City hold off West Ham to stay perfect

Manchester City took full advantage of Arsenal’s slip-up at home to Brighton to move clear at the top of the nascent Premier League table as another stunning Erling Haaland hat-trick secured a 3-1 win at West Ham on Saturday Night Football.

The Gunners had to settle for a point earlier on Saturday after Declan Rice’s controversial red card cost his side two points – and Haaland’s first-half double set the defending champions on their way to maintaining their perfect start to the new campaign in the capital.

Haaland then became the first player to score a hat-trick in two of an English team’s first three league games in a season since Paul Jewell for Bradford in 1994/95. What a diamond he is.

West Ham – who sit in 13th place on three points – might have conceded from City’s first attack as Jack Grealish found Bernardo Silva on the overlap but his dinked cross was headed over by Haaland. The Norwegian didn’t dwell on the miss, breaking the deadlock not long after.

Lucas Paqueta was sloppy in possession as Silva pinched the ball off his toes to release the striker, who finished with ease low beyond Alphonse Areola (10).

City came within inches of doubling their lead when Kevin De Bruyne, picked out by Jeremy Doku, smacked the post – and moments later, the hosts levelled in fortuitous circumstances.

Jarrod Bowen was found down the right channel and after Josko Gvardiol afforded him too much space to cross, Ruben Dias diverted the ball past Ederson in his attempts to intercept (19).

It briefly sparked West Ham into life, but City gathered themselves and restored their lead 11 minutes later. This time, he was set up by the impressive Rico Lewis before one touch out of his feet was followed by a devastating finish above Areola.

Sky Sports’ Micah Richards said: “I think the break in the summer did him a world of good. His energy, his body language has been outstanding.”

Lukasz Fabianski replaced Areola at the break but it didn’t unsettle the hosts, who came within inches of equalising for a second time when Kudus’ shot crashed against the woodwork having been released by Bowen.

Dias failed to convert De Bruyne’s cross to keep the contest alive. West Ham persevered as Kudus stole the ball from Silva to set up the substitute Niclas Fullkrug. His lay-off invited Tomas Soucek to shoot but he dragged his effort wide.

Then City – and Haaland – strode clear. Matheus Nunes’ lovely weighted pass sent the striker on his way with a trademark lofted finish completing his 11th hat-trick for City, and 24th of his professional career (83).

Haaland takes hat-trick roadshow from Manchester to London

Noel Gallagher was in attendance. The band is back together and while the Oasis lead guitarist might have been the centre of attention for most of Britain this week, Erling Haaland has certainly tried his best to steal his thunder.

The Norwegian took his very own hat-trick roadshow from Manchester to London. Sixty-nine Premier League games since coming to England, 70 goals. Welcome to the show. Haaland is king when it comes to the Premier League, with 19 goals in 11 appearances during the month of August.

Three against Ipswich Town last weekend, another three at the London Stadium, and three wins from three for Manchester City.

Guardiola had warned the striker was primed to spearhead his side’s pursuit of a fifth straight league title, claiming he was in a better place now than he has been since he first arrived at the club.

While many of his team-mates rested after playing at Euro 2024, Haaland enjoyed a full pre-season with City. Having started the campaign on the front foot, he looks set to eclispe the 52 goals scored during his first campaign at the club.

Richards added: “Haaland was the difference. His ruthlessness in front of goal is why he has scored so many.

“It’s extraordinary. He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. Everything about his performance today was top notch.”

Is he the best ever? Definitely, maybe.

Redknapp: Beauty and the beast from Haaland

Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp:

“What I’ve loved about his performance today is his first touch. For the first goal it allows him to open up his body and roll it into the corner.

“For the second goal, his right foot chops it back onto his left foot and that enabled him to hit.

The first goal was a thing of beauty. That was a beast. Beauty and the beast today. What’s terrifying for every defender is that he looks better than ever.

“He looks confident and he looks happy. Every player smiles when they have the hat-trick ball but you could see it before the game. Last season, he scored loads of goals but they were harder to come by.

“Here, he scored different types of goals. It was the full repertoire. He bludgeons it for his second and he caresses the third. It was beautiful to see. I don’t know how you stop this guy.”

West Ham’s woeful record – Opta stats

• West Ham are winless in 10 Premier League home games against Man City (D3 L7), only against Man Utd between February 1994 and November 2005 have they been on a longer such run without victory against a single opponent (11 games).
• Manchester City are unbeaten in all 17 of their Premier League games against West Ham under Pep Guardiola (W15 D2), the most a manager has faced a specific opponent without ever losing in the competition’s history.
• Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has scored seven goals in the first three Premier League games of 2024/25, more than any other player in a team’s opening three games of a season.
• Manchester City have won 19 of their 22 Premier League games in 2024 (D3), only Manchester City themselves in 2019 have ever won more in their first 22 league games in a calendar year in English Football (W20 D1 L1).

Story of the match in stats

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