Manchester City Defeat West Ham 3-0 to Extend Dominance in Premier League
Erling Haaland scored twice and Tijjani Reijnders added a third as Manchester City secured a 3-0 victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium. This win extended City's remarkable recent record against West Ham to seven consecutive wins, with West Ham conceding at least three goals in the last six meetings.
Haaland's two goals brought his tally to 19 Premier League goals this season, equalling the record for most goals scored before Christmas by a player, a mark held by Andy Cole, Kevin Phillips, and Luis Suárez. Despite West Ham's efforts, their last victory at Manchester City remains a 2-1 win in September 2015, and the current gap until their next triumph stretches to 21 games.
Manchester City would move top of the Premier League on Christmas Day, depending on Arsenal's result at Everton. Pep Guardiola made tactical changes with a double substitution at halftime and a triple substitution on the 65th minute, introducing Lewis, Khusanov, and Savinho for Cherki, González, and Reijnders. These adjustments immediately paid off as they contributed to Haaland's second goal, capitalizing on a defensive mix-up.
City maintained a clean sheet for the third consecutive league game, displaying defensive solidity. Haaland had a late chance to complete a hat-trick but missed, although his performance reinforced Manchester City's relentless form and control of matches this season.
