Match Report & Player Ratings: Manchester City 3-0 West Ham (Premier League) | OneFootball

Manchester City continued their imperious run of form with a 3-0 victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Blues looked in the mood right from the start and Erling Haaland gave them an early lead with his customary goal against the Irons before Tijjani Reijnders added the second with his first goal at the Etihad Stadium since joining Manchester City for £45 million from AC Milan in the summer. City entered the break with a two-goal cushion.

West Ham applied a little more pressure in the second-half but another opportunistic Haaland goal ended their hopes of getting anything from a game which saw City return to the top of the table for the first time since the opening weekend of the campaign.

Haaland is no slouch and kicked off the scoring in typically quick-fire fashion after just five minutes; though he actually should have scored with his first attempt after being picked out expertly by Phil Foden – but Alphonse Areola’s save landed straight to the Norwegian and he made no mistake at the second time of asking.

The Premier League’s leading marksman ought to have doubled his tally not long after as Rayan Cherki toyed with Olly Scarles on the right and put a cross right onto his striker’s head, only for Haaland to nod wide.

The second goal continued to elude the Blues as the game ticked past half-an-hour, with Reijnders the next to go close after more good work from Cherki got the Dutchman into a shooting position and he tested Areola.

Reijnders wasn’t to be denied for long though, as Cherki brilliantly won the ball back and worked it to Haaland, who moved it onto City’s Dutch midfield signing and the 26-year-old clinically fired into the roof of the net for the second.

West Ham posed absolutely no threat in the first-half but almost immediately had an opening after the interval, Bernardo Silva ceding possession just outside his own box and seeing Gianluigi Donnarumma bail him out with two saves before Matheus Fernandes blazed over the bar.

The visitors were having more joy after the break as Jarrod Bowen had their next sight of goal as he ran onto a loose ball and rounded Donnarumma, but the angle was too tight for him to do anything other than shoot into the side netting.

The Englishman soon had an even better opportunity, with West Ham breaking away on the counter and Bowen isolating Nico O’Reilly – but the Manchester City full-back forced the attacker onto his weaker foot and his shot drilled just wide of Donnarumma’s far post.

In the end, the Hammers couldn’t take their chances and City went up the other end and emphatically finished one of their own to end the game as a contest; one substitute found another as Savinho picked out Rico Lewis for a flick and the ball rebounded into Haaland’s path for an easy second of the afternoon.

A few more chances came and went for the Blues – Foden forcing a save from Areola with a long shot, a Josko Gvardiol header and a late hat-trick opening for Haaland chief among them – but this was another comfortable afternoon for Pep Guardiola’s men, and one which saw them climb back to the spot they really want to be in come May.

Here’s how we rated the players in Manchester City’s easy victory over West Ham United!

Starting XI

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 7.5

Was a spectator in the first-half but remained sharp to deny West Ham a route back into the game early in the second.

Matheus Nunes – 8

All aspects of his game are working so well just now. Locked up the right flank and was afforded another chance in his natural position in midfield later on, evidence of the trust he’s earned from Pep Guardiola lately.

Ruben Dias – 7.5

Marshalled the lively Bowen well, although wasn’t put under much pressure in defence by a largely toothless West Ham performance.

Josko Gvardiol – 7.5

Was able to roam from his centre-back berth due to the lack of threat coming at him. Put in some really big challenges.

Nico O’Reilly – 7.5

His usual robust and expressive self out on the left, driving City up the pitch and remaining sharp going backwards too.

Nico Gonzalez – 7.5

Broke up play and linked it well for City, incorporating more of the long passing which is such a hallmark of Rodri, the man he is so ably deputising for. Was booked and afforded a rest.

Bernardo Silva – 7

Fulfilled his usual duties of facilitating the play by dropping into deep areas and doing the simple things. Lucky not to have cost his team a goal with an uncharacteristic cheap giveaway.

Tijjani Reijnders – 7.5

Made all sorts of threatening moves in behind, not all of which were found by his teammates. Did get picked out by Haaland and duly stuck away his third of the season.

Rayan Cherki – 8

No direct goal contributions this time, but another flamboyant showing in which he ran the City attack in the first-half. Was key to the second goal.

Erling Haaland – 8.5 (MOTM)

Simply what he does. Kept quiet in spells but still walks away having had a hand in all three goals and extended his already massive lead at the top of the Premier League scoring charts.

Phil Foden – 8

Lively in attack, linking up well with O’Reilly and creating the opening goal for Haaland.

Substitutes

Abdukodir Khusanov – 6

Very little to do at right-back.

Rico Lewis – 6.5

Forced through the third goal.

Savinho – 6.5

Involved on the third and saw a fair bit of the ball.

Divine Mukasa – 6

A few touches in midfield.