Erling Haaland’s latest hat-trick fires Manchester City to win at West Ham | Premier League

Even on those rare occasions when it seems they may be at risk of slipping up, Manchester City can always draw strength from the likelihood of Erling Haaland producing the unanswerable ruthlessness that made the difference in this victory over an insubordinate West Ham.

Be afraid. After looking short of peak sharpness at the end of last season, Haaland is back to his awesome best. Another hat-trick to follow on from last week’s destruction of Ipswich brought the striker to seven goals in the first three games. It ensured that City, who lived dangerously at times, maintained their perfect start on an evening when West Ham showed that Julen Lopetegui’s attempts to play a more expansive style will bear fruit in the long run.

If it was not the perfect performance from City, for whom Jack Grealish looked rejuvenated on the left flank, it was still enough to move them two points clear of Arsenal. Pep Guardiola will demand improvement without the ball, while also knowing his team could have won by a greater margin.

The general consensus is that the best way to play City is to deny them space and hit them with fast counterattacks. As such, it was intriguing to watch West Ham veer in the opposite direction from the first whistle, pleasing the neutrals with a gung-ho approach that meant they contributed to the entertainment levels, both through their attacking play and their curious reluctance to have anyone marking Haaland.

Six minutes in, with City relieved not to be behind after Ederson saved from Jarrod Bowen and Josko Gvardiol denied Michail Antonio a tap-in, there was a warning when an unchallenged Haaland headed over from close range after Bernardo Silva and Grealish cut West Ham open down the left.

With their creative talents afforded too much freedom, the visitors led four minutes later. West Ham had just about survived another raid from Kevin De Bruyne when Lucas Paquetá lost track of Emerson Palmieri’s heavy pass just outside the area, inviting Silva to nip in and send Haaland through to roll a disdainful finish past Alphonse Areola.

Up for it after Arsenal’s draw with Brighton earlier in the day, City spent the next few minutes threatening to extinguish any memory of West Ham. Grealish, starting for the first time since April and in a sprightly mood after his England recall, went close. Areola saved a bold effort from De Bruyne, who would soon see another shot crash off the woodwork.

Relieved to be only 1-0 down, West Ham hit back out of nothing. Bowen darted down the right, skipped past Gvardiol and delivered a low cross that was probably not going to lead to anything until Rúben Dias turned the ball into his own net.

There was no forward behind Dias, so perhaps it was a case of City dozing off. In truth, they were a class above in every area. Mateo Kovacic kept threading passes through West Ham’s midfield pivot of Edson Álvarez and Guido Rodríguez, who did not know how to handle the constant movement around them.

A second goal duly arrived. Grealish moved away from Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the half-hour before a neat exchange between Silva, Kovacic and Rico Lewis left Haaland in space on the right. With Emerson slow to react, the striker walloped a rocket past Areola.

Somehow West Ham clung on, defending with enough heart to give themselves a chance. Mohammed Kudus might have scored before half-time and the winger looked certain to equalize in the 52nd minute, only to strike a post after latching on to Bowen’s brilliant pass.

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There was a shift in the mood, a sense West Ham had renewed belief. Wan-Bissaka rumbled forward from right-back and City found themselves under sustained aerial pressure. Ederson flew out of his area to head a ball away and Bowen had a shot blocked. Grealish flickered again, teeing up Silva to shoot straight at Lukasz Fabianski, who had replaced the injured Areola at half-time.

Needing more control, Guardiola introduced Ilkay Gündogan for Jérémy Doku and Matheus Nunes for Grealish. West Ham responded with Niclas Füllkrug and Tomas Soucek, who would slice a decent chance wide.

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Against lesser opponents, West Ham might have left with more but a second consecutive home defeat in the league felt easier to take given that it came courtesy of City’s goal machine.

It was game over when Nunes skipped through a throwing midfield and sent Haaland through to chip Fabianski.