Haaland scores brace as Man City thrash West Ham 4-1

Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City cruised to a 4-1 victory over West Ham in a Premier League fixture on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium.

City took the lead through Vladimir Coufal’s own goal before Haaland struck on either side of halftime, with all three goals expertly set up by Savinho. Phil Foden completed the rout, netting only his second league goal of the season after Kevin De Bruyne unselfishly teed him up during his 400th appearance for the club.

West Ham managed a consolation goal when Niclas Füllkrug converted Tomas Soucek’s cross in the 71st minute. However, their hopes of a comeback faded as Crysencio Summerville missed a golden opportunity to further reduce the deficit.

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The win marked the first time City have secured back-to-back victories since October, offering manager Pep Guardiola a glimmer of optimism after a challenging period. Guardiola admitted the recent struggles had led to moments of self-doubt, a rarity during his illustrious nine-year reign at the club.

Meanwhile, the pressure continues to mount on West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui. Though this defeat was less severe than the 5-0 drubbing by Liverpool in their previous outing, the presence of former manager David Moyes in the stands served as a stark reminder of the Hammers’ lack of progress since his departure. Speculation about Lopetegui’s future grows, as West Ham fail to meet the expectations set at the start of the season.

City’s victory, fueled by Haaland’s brilliance, helps solidify their push to regain momentum in the league, while West Ham’s struggles deepen under the weight of growing scrutiny.