MANCHESTER CITY 3-0 WEST HAM: Erling Haaland dominates proceedings, with two goals and one assist, as Pep Guardiola's side breeze past the Hammers to go top of the Premier League
Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates
Erling Haaland opened the scoring for Manchester City
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Manchester City piled the pressure onto Arsenal by easing to an Erling Haaland-inspired and comfortable win over West Ham. City came into their home game knowing that victory - their fifth in succession in the league - would send them top of the Premier League and they got the job done.
Haaland set the tone by putting City ahead after just five minutes - the 10th time he had made it 1-0 in 17 Premier League games this season. The Norwegian striker then turned provider by setting up Tijani Reijnders to fire in a second after 38 minutes.
That flowing move prompted a hands-on-head reaction of disbelief from Pep Guardiola, but the demanding City boss was still frustrated at half-time, despite his team leading 2-0, such was the comfort with which they outplayed Nuno Espirito Santo's team.
"Pep Guardiola is getting really frustrated - sometimes because of bad decision making and sometimes the speed of the passing," noted former Everton midfielder Leon Osman on BBC Radio 5 Live. "He is asking more from his team despite the score being in their favour."
Guardiola didn't need to worry. Jarrod Bowen threatened Gianluigi Donnarumma's goal for the first time midway through the second half but fired wide and that miss proved costly.
Some shambolic defending from West Ham saw the ball ricochet to Haaland inside the penalty area with an inevitable outcome. His second goal of the game was his 104th in the Premier League and meant he has now passed Cristiano Ronaldo's total of 103 goals in the competition in 122 fewer games.
The 25-year-old goal machine now has 19 in 17 Premier League games this season and is on track to break his own record of 36 strikes, from the 2022/23 campaign. He has 25 goals in 23 games across all competitions and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City
Pep Guardiola's reaction after Tijani Reijnders made it 2-0
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Victory made it seven in a row for City in all competitions and five in succession in the league since they were beaten 2-1 at St James' Park by Newcastle on November 22. And, crucially, it moves them onto 37 points, one ahead of Arsenal, who can regain top spot when they play Everton away at 8pm on Saturday night.
City came into the match without Rodri, John Stones, Jeremy Doku and Oscar Bobb, but looked formidable, with Rayan Cherki the beneficiary of Doku's injury. The £34million summer signing from Lyon was compared with Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne by Guardiola in the build-up to the game and has been playing with complete freedom of late. He enjoyed himself at the Etihad once again, but it was Haaland who stole the show.
His relentless consistency in front of goal is a marvel and is one of the main factors in City's favour as they go head-to-head with Arsenal in the title race, with the Gunners lacking a clinical goalscorer. Arsenal fans may fear the City war machine as they click into gear over the festive period.
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