MANCHESTER, United Kingdom – Manchester City ascended to the Premier League’s apex with a commanding 3-0 victory over West Ham United on Saturday, largely powered by a stellar performance from Erling Haaland. The triumph, City’s seventh consecutive across all competitions, intensifies the pressure on rivals Arsenal, who face a later fixture against Everton with the opportunity to reclaim the top spot for Christmas.
The match’s outcome seemed inevitable from the early moments as Haaland, demonstrating his signature clinical finishing, broke the deadlock after just five minutes. His initial strike was parried by West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, but the rebound fell fortuitously for the Norwegian striker, who emphatically smashed the ball into the top corner. Haaland then turned provider shortly before halftime, setting up Tijjani Reijnders for his inaugural goal at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite several opportunities to narrow the deficit in the second half, West Ham’s efforts proved futile, leaving the club mired in the relegation zone. Haaland, in stark contrast, remained ruthlessly efficient, sealing his brace and 38th goal of the season for club and country in the 69th minute after another favorable bounce.
In a parallel dramatic encounter, Chelsea orchestrated a remarkable second-half resurgence to secure a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United. The Magpies dominated the first half, establishing a 2-0 lead through a double from Nick Woltemade. However, Chelsea’s fortunes shifted post-interval with a spectacular Reece James free-kick reigniting their hopes. An equalizer materialized when Joao Pedro capitalized on a defensive error by Malick Thiaw. The match concluded amidst controversy as Newcastle’s vehement appeals for two late penalties and a potential red card for James were dismissed by the officials.
Elsewhere in the league, Liverpool prepared for a crucial clash against Tottenham Hotspur without the services of Mohamed Salah, who has departed for the Africa Cup of Nations. Wolverhampton Wanderers’ struggles deepened with a 2-0 home defeat to Brentford, while Burnley snapped a seven-game losing streak with a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, courtesy of a 90th-minute goal from Armando Broja.