Manchester Metropolis moved to the highest of the Premier League desk forward of Arsenal’s night kick-off with a snug 3-0 victory over West Ham United, persevering with their lengthy dominance over the Hammers in league conferences, Softfootball studies.
Metropolis got here into the sport in excessive spirits after reserving their place within the EFL Cup semi-finals, however there was additionally a reflective tone earlier than kick-off. Pep Guardiola admitted his future on the membership was not fully in his palms, stressing that he had left any choices about what comes subsequent to the membership’s hierarchy. On the pitch, nonetheless, his facet appeared absolutely centered.
It took simply minutes for Metropolis to claim management. Phil Foden, as soon as once more on the coronary heart of every thing, slipped a neat go by means of to Erling Haaland. The striker’s first effort was saved by Alphonse Areola, however he reacted quickest to the rebound and calmly completed to provide the hosts an early lead.
Metropolis’s dominance barely eased after that. West Ham struggled to deal with the fixed stress, spending a lot of the first half pinned inside their very own half. Haaland missed an honest probability with a header, however Metropolis had been to not be denied a second objective. After seeing an earlier effort blocked, Tijjani Reijnders made amends by lifting the ball into the online on the finish of a slick group transfer, giving the house followers a lot to cheer earlier than half-time.
West Ham, who had drawn 1-1 away at Brighton of their earlier street outing, briefly hinted at a response after the break when Jarrod Bowen dragged a counter-attacking effort large. That proved to be nearly as good because it bought for the guests.
Metropolis slowed the tempo however by no means misplaced management, and the sport was successfully settled halfway by means of the second half. A unfastened ball contained in the field fell kindly to Haaland, who swept it house for his second of the evening and his nineteenth league objective of the season.
Crysencio Summerville later compelled a save, nevertheless it did little to alter the temper. Haaland even went near finishing his hat-trick in stoppage time, although Metropolis had been already properly out of sight by then.
After the sport ended, Manchester metropolis through its official X deal with, shared an unique replace confirming that the Norwegian striker Erling Haaland as now scored 149 premier league targets for the membership. The quickest participant to do this in a Metropolis’s shirt. They posted:
The win sends Metropolis high of the desk and underlines their power towards struggling sides, whereas West Ham stay caught within the relegation zone over the festive interval. It’s an uncomfortable place for the Hammers, however previous survival battles could but give their supporters some hope.
