After weeks of lacklustre performances, Manchester City delivered a commanding display at the Etihad Stadium, thrashing West Ham United 4-1 in a Premier League encounter on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side looked rejuvenated, with a brace from Erling Haaland and a standout performance from Savinho helping City secure a vital victory.
The tone was set early when West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 10th minute, gifting City the lead.
The home side dominated possession and consistently threatened West Ham’s backline, with their relentless pressure paying off just before halftime.
In the 42nd minute, Savinho delivered a well-timed assist to Haaland, who calmly finished to double the advantage.
City continued their onslaught in the second half, with Haaland adding his second of the match in the 55th minute.
Once again, Savinho was the provider, demonstrating his growing influence in the team.
Just three minutes later, Kevin De Bruyne’s precise pass found Phil Foden, who rifled the ball past Alphonse Areola to make it 4-0 and cap off a scintillating attacking performance.
West Ham managed to pull one back in the 71st minute when Niclas Füllkrug converted a header from Tomáš Souček’s cross.
Despite the consolation goal, the Hammers were no match for City’s fluid attack and were left chasing shadows for much of the game.
The win marks a crucial turning point for Guardiola’s side, who had been under scrutiny following a series of underwhelming results.
With Haaland back in prolific form and new contributors like Savinho stepping up, City look poised to regain their status as title contenders.
West Ham, on the other hand, will need to regroup after a tough outing.
Julen Lopeteguis’ team showed glimpses of resilience but were ultimately outclassed by the reigning champions.
Key Moments:
10th minute: Vladimir Coufal scores an own goal, giving Manchester City an early lead.
42nd minute: Erling Haaland scores City’s second goal, assisted by Savinho.
55th minute: Haaland nets his second of the match with another assist from Savinho.
58th minute: Phil Foden scores City’s fourth, assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
71st minute: Niclas Füllkrug scores West Ham’s consolation goal, assisted by Tomáš Souček.
Manchester City’s emphatic victory sends a clear message to the rest of the league: they are far from finished.
Guardiola will hope his side can build on this momentum as they aim to climb back to the top of the table.