EPL: Manchester City Thrashes West Ham 4-1 as Erling Haaland Ends Goal Drought

Manchester City dominates West Ham 4-1, with Erling Haaland's brace and Savinho's impressive performance leading the charge.

Erling Haaland Leads Manchester City to Dominant Win Over West Ham

Erling Haaland ended his three-month wait for a Premier League brace, scoring twice as Manchester City thrashed West Ham 4-1. Haaland's first goal came late in the first half, courtesy of a well-timed header. He then sealed his brace with a calm chip over West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, after latching onto a through ball from Savinho.

Savinho was instrumental in City's dominant display, forcing the opening goal in the 10th minute with a left-wing cross that deflected off Vladimir Coufal and left Areola stranded. The Brazilian's impressive performance earned him the accolade of City's best player on the day.

Manchester City's fourth goal was scored by Phil Foden, who tapped home his second league goal of the season after Kevin de Bruyne selflessly set him up. De Bruyne's assist was a testament to his unselfish nature, as he prioritized setting up his teammate over marking his 400th City appearance with a goal.

West Ham managed to pull a goal back through Niclas Fullkrug, who turned home Tomas Soucek's cross 19 minutes from time. However, they squandered their best chance to reduce the deficit further when Crysencio Summerville failed to hit the target with the goal at his mercy.

The victory marked Manchester City's first successive wins since October, providing a much-needed boost to manager Pep Guardiola. The win may signal a turning point for City, who have endured a horror run that led Guardiola to question himself. In contrast, West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui remains under intense pressure, with the team's lack of progress since David Moyes' departure last season hanging over him.

Manchester City's Strong Start to 2025 Continues, But Challenges Remain

Manchester City has begun 2025 on a positive note, and with a favorable FA Cup draw against League Two side Salford next week, they have a chance to build momentum. However, manager Pep Guardiola is aware that the team's problems have not been entirely eradicated.

A specific incident during the match against West Ham highlighted the ongoing impact of Rodri's absence on Manchester City's performance. In a chaotic opening period, Rico Lewis struggled to control a bouncing ball from a West Ham half-clearance. Mateo Kovacic attempted to provide support, but failed to anticipate the threat posed by Crysencio Summerville, who was making a run behind him. As Lewis turned towards his own goal, Summerville seized the opportunity to attack. It is likely that Rodri, with his experience and defensive prowess, would have been able to cover the space and prevent the danger.

The absence of Rodri was keenly felt in this moment, as Kovacic was slightly out of position and lacked the pace to recover and make amends. This incident served as a reminder that, despite their strong start to 2025, Manchester City still needs to address certain vulnerabilities in their lineup.

Manchester City's Injury Woes Continue as Guardiola Seeks Replacement for Rodri

Despite optimism surrounding Rodri's potential return before the end of the season, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is aware that his team will remain weakened without a suitable replacement. The club has expressed interest in several highly-rated players, including Eintracht Frankfurt's Omar Marmoush, Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov, and Atalanta midfielder Ederson. However, Ederson appears to be the most suitable candidate to fill the void left by Rodri.

The challenge for Manchester City lies in securing the services of their top target, Ederson, who is a crucial player for Atalanta. The Italian club is currently top of Serie A and is aiming to win its first-ever championship title. This makes it uncertain how much Manchester City would need to pay to lure Ederson away from Atalanta mid-season. The task of resolving this issue falls on outgoing sporting director Txiki Begiristain and City's executive team.

In the meantime, Guardiola must navigate the team's injury woes, which have depleted his squad. The recent win over West Ham came at a cost, with Ederson, Ruben Dias, and John Stones all absent due to injuries. The situation became even more precarious when goalkeeper Stefan Ortega received treatment for a back problem, prompting 39-year-old keeper Scott Carson to warm up as a precaution. Guardiola will hope that the upcoming 10-day break will provide some respite and allow his injured players to recover.

Manchester City's Dominance Over West Ham Continues

Manchester City's impressive record against West Ham at the Etihad Stadium continued, with the Citizens securing their 15th win in 16 home Premier League encounters against the Hammers. This result also marked West Ham's 19th consecutive match without a win against Manchester City, setting an unwanted club record. While Julen Lopetegui is not responsible for this dismal run, he knows that his team cannot afford to gift City opportunities, especially when they are not in top form.

A crucial moment in the match came in the final minute of the first half, when West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola made a costly mistake. Savinho's excellent left-wing cross was headed towards the far post, but Areola inexplicably started to come for the ball, despite being in a central position and having no chance of reaching it. The former PSG goalkeeper checked himself after a couple of strides, but the damage was done. Erling Haaland was left with an open goal to head into, effectively killing West Ham's hopes of getting a result.

The error by Areola compounded West Ham's frustrations, which had been building throughout the first half. Earlier, Tomas Soucek had turned an excellent chance wide after being picked out by Mohammed Kudus. Additionally, the Hammers bench was incredulous when referee Michael Salisbury blew for a foul by Crysencio Summerville on Manuel Akanji, when it seemed that Summerville had merely capitalized on Akanji's hesitation. Without Salisbury's intervention, Summerville would have been clean through on goal. Lopetegui was furious, while Guardiola's reaction suggested that he felt his team had gotten away with one. Haaland's goal ensured that City took full advantage of the situation.