Premier League – Matchday 3: A hat-trick from Erling Haaland and Manchester City win at West Ham (1-3)

Herling Haaland gives the Skyblues back the lead. Away this Saturday on the West Ham pitch, Manchester City won thanks to a hat-trick from their Norwegian cyborg (1-3). Despite Ruben Dias’ own goal equalizer (19th) in the first half, Julien Lopetegui’s players could do nothing against the power and realism of the Mancunian striker (10th, 29th and 82nd). With three wins in as many games, City takes sole control of the championship with 9 points on the clock.

Arsenal having been held at home early this afternoon against Brighton (1-1), only Liverpool, away tomorrow at Manchester United, can prevent Pep Guardiola’s men from taking off at the start of the Premier League season. Because with a perfect start and an unbeaten run in the league that now extends to 26 matches, the reigning champion is already looking like the favourite to succeed him to the English throne.

Fully confident after their show of strength last weekend against Ipswich (4-1), Manchester City started the match with an almost identical eleven to the one they had fielded on the previous day against the promoted team (only Savinho was replaced by Grealish). Very fit for his first start of the year, Jack Grealish, like all his teammates, quickly gave a West Ham team a headache, cornered in their own half during a one-sided first half. Rewarded for their outrageous domination by the opening goal from their serial scorer Erling Haaland (10th, 0-1), the Citizens nevertheless went into the locker room with a single goal lead.

Haaland scores 8th Premier League hat-trick

The fault of an own goal by defender Ruben Dias (19th, 1-1) following a cross from Jarrod Bowen from the right side. Surprised on one of the rare incursions of their opponents in the first half, the Skyblues did not have time to doubt for long, the scoring machine Erling Haaland quickly gave his team the advantage again with a missile from the left under the crossbar of Alphonse Areola (29th, 1-2). Not ready to slow down after the break, Pep Guardiola’s men resumed their domination in the second half while showing a little less control against a West Ham team that was now much more enterprising.

Embarrassed by the good tactical readjustment made by Julen Lopetegui at the break, Kevin De Bruyne’s teammates had to wait until the last quarter of an hour to score the second goal, the incredible Erling Haaland (82nd, 1-3) making the most of a deep pass from substitute Matheus Nunes to deceive Lukasz Fabianski (who came on for Alphonse Areola at the break) a second time with a touch-heavy chip. Author of his eighth hat-trick in 69 Premier League matches, the Norwegian striker could have even scored a quadruple at the end of the match without the decisive intervention of the Hammers’ goalkeeper. He will console himself with the match ball and the feeling of a job well done, having just given Manchester City a third victory in as many matches.