Once more, Manchester City unleashed the beasts. After a rollercoaster spell, Pep Guardiola's men defeated West Ham 4-1 in a match for the 20th round of the Premier League. Along with earning two successive victories for the first time since October, the match was full of an exhibition of brilliance by Savinho and Haaland among other feats-a special milestone marked its place: Kevin De Bruyne's 400th appearance for the Citizens.
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Blazing start with Savinho in command The game started off with some early threats from West Ham, but the goal by City arrived at the 10-minute mark thanks to the persistence of Savinho himself. The Brazilian pierced through on the left side, with the ball deflected into his own net by Coufal. That was the moment that put City ahead, but more importantly, was the tone set by the leading home team.
"Savinho has everything to win and prove himself", Guardiola noted while underlining how much the young Brazilian made his presence felt: fundamental not only in opening the game but also in the assists that followed. Haaland, the unstoppable predator
The name Erling Haaland has already become synonymous with goals, and West Ham became his latest victim as the Norwegian hit the net twice to cement his mark in the Premier League. First, he found the net with an accurate header after a perfect cross by Savinho at minute 42. Then he combined his cool finish with rounded goalkeeper Areola to finish delicately with a chip for City's third goal.
These strikes make Haaland the third highest scorer at the Etihad, taking his tally to 46 goals in the competition. He just loves scoring against West Ham, a team he has netted against nine times.
Foden seals the win
A defensive howler from West Ham allowed Foden to convert City's domination into a convincing win as De Bruyne intercepted a loose pass and freed Foden in the 66 minutes, and he did not miss his mark. The nicety in their attack was one of the positives to take from this City display because they punished teams' mistakes very well.
Savinho's brilliance and Guardiola's caution
Savinho was the star of the match, no doubt, as he provided two assists that even caught Guardiola's attention. However, the manager made it clear that the young talent still has room to grow: "He's not aggressive enough without the ball, but today he delivered incredible actions. His assists were brilliant."
Despite the victory, Guardiola remains cautious about his team’s current form, stating, “We played much better against Everton than today but dropped points. We’re still not at our best level.”
West Ham’s forgettable outing
For West Ham, defeat confirmed some familiar vulnerabilities. It was the sixth time this season they have lost by three goals or more and confirmed their status as one of the most vulnerable teams in the competition. "If you don't take your chances against a team like this, you know you're going to suffer", said Lopetegui.