Very many expected little from David Moyes’ depleted Hammers side, but the visitors showed determination and discipline to ensure the Cityzens had a tough time early on.
Angelo Ogbonna typified that, coming in for his first start in six across all competitions and making numerous authoritative clearances to repel City’s advances.
In fact, it took 24 minutes for Erling Haaland to get the slightest sniff of goal, as the Norwegian stretched to reach Jack Grealish’s cross but couldn’t head it on target.
West Ham also caused occasional problems for the City backline, and Jarrod Bowen latched onto Vladimír Coufal’s throw behind but was denied by PL debutant Stefan Ortega Moreno at the near post.
The hosts continued to dominate possession as the half-hour mark came and went but couldn’t find a breakthrough before the break, as Grealish’s attempt was tipped wide by Łukasz Fabiański, Rodri was denied by the woodwork after linking up with Haaland and John Stones headed wide.
However, all of West Ham and Ogbonna’s work was undone a mere four minutes into the second half, as the centre-back played Nathan Aké onside when the Dutchman headed in Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick delivery for his first league goal of the season.
The Hammers kept competing, even with Coufal being forced off injured, but were carved wide open in the 70th minute.
Having scored his first two PL goals against West Ham on the opening day, Haaland raced onto Grealish’s pass and delicately dinked the ball over the onrushing Fabiański, securing the record for the most goals scored in a PL campaign at 35 in a typically clinical fashion.
City’s night was topped off when Phil Foden’s volley deflected off Emerson Palmieri and past Fabiański for the 1000th goal of Pep Guardiola’s tenure, as the Cityzens earned their ninth consecutive PL victory to reclaim top spot while still holding a game in hand on second-placed Arsenal.
They also condemned West Ham to a third consecutive league defeat for the first time in 2023, although the Hammers remain four points above the relegation zone.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jack Grealish (Manchester City)
