Haaland claims back-to-back PL hat-tricks as City win again

Erling Haaland scored his second hat-trick in a row as Manchester City continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 win away to West Ham in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola, who was without the injured Savinho with Jack Greaslish coming into the side, saw his side dominate the first half.

And City took just 10 minutes to open the scoring when they pounced on Emerson Palmieri’s misplaced pass with Bernardo Silva threading the ball through to Haaland who netted with a low finish.

Kevin De Bruyne then hit the woodwork and Grealish went close as the one-way traffic continued. But against the run of play The Hammers equalised when Jared Bowen’s cross was turned into his own net by Ruben Dias.

But the visitors regained the lead ten minutes later when Haaland was afforded too much space in the box and he took one touch before firing a ferocious shot into the roof of the net.

Julen Lopetegui made a change between the sticks at the break with Lukas Fabianski replacing Alphonse Areola.

City continued to dominate the possession but the Hammers missed a great chance to equalise from a counter attack when Bowen found Mohammed Kudus whose fierce shot from a tight angle rattled the post.

But Pep Guardiola’s side sealed victory when Matheus Nunes threaded the ball through to Haaland who timed his run to perfection and lifted the ball over the keeper to complete his hat-trick, to add to his three goals against Ipswich Town last weekend.

The result means City make it three wins out of three in the league and hand West Ham their second defeat of the season.

Erling Haaland’s amazing numbers

The striker now averages a goal a game since his move to City from Borussia Dortmund two years ago. Seventy goals in 69 games and after a long break over the summer with Norway not qualifying for the Euros, he looks as sharp as ever.

Erling Haaland (Man City): The goal-machine once again showed his clinical side with a cool finish from Silva’s through ball for the opener. His second was even better with a powerful effort to make it six goals for the season. ANd he completed his hat-trick with another run behind the Hammers defence and a clever finish.

WEST HAM: Areola 5, Wan-Bissaka 6, Mavropanos 6, Kilman 7, Emerson 5, Alvarez 5, Paqueta 5, Rodriguez 5, Kudus 7, Antonio 5, Bowen 8. Subs: Fabianski 7, Coufal 5, Fullkrug 5, Sommerville n/a..

MAN CITY: Ederson 6, Lewis 7, Akanji 7, Dias 6, Gvardiol 7, Kovacic 6, De Bruyne 7, Bernardo 6, Doku 5, Grealish 7, Haaland 10. Subs: Nunes 5, Ake n/a, Gundogan n/a, Walker n/a.

10′ – GOAL FOR CITY! Emerson’s pass is a poor one, Silva threads it through to Haaland who coolly slots it in.

19′ – OWN GOAL! West Ham equalise after Bowen’s cross goes in off Dias on the stretch., Out of nothing its 1-1!

29′ – GOAL FOR CITY! Bang! Haaland again with a ferocious shot from inside the box from Lewis’s pass.

51′ – WOODWORK! The home side break, Bowen threads it through to Kudus who hammers the post from a tight angle.

83′ – GOAL FOR MAN CITY! Another hat-trick for Haaland, the ball is threaded through to him by Gundogan and he lofts the ball over the keeper.

Manchester City are unbeaten in 22 Premier League games so far in 2024, their longest unbeaten run from the start of a calendar year in league history.