• Man City beat West Ham 4-1 on Saturday in the Premier League
  • Erling Haaland and Phil Foden on the scoresheet for Man City
  • Pep Guardiola's side secure back-to-back wins after Leicester triumph

Manchester City produced an encouraging 4-1 victory over West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Vladimir Coufal's own goal put the Cityzens on the right track at the beginning of the first half before Erling Haaland's simple header provided a much-needed buffer just before the whistle.

Haaland then doubled his tally shortly after the interval with a well-taken dink and Phil Foden netted three minutes later, before Niclas Fullkrug fired home a consolation for the visitors.

How the game unfolded

Man City were searching for the perfect start to the new year and fortune favoured them as they raced into an early lead at the Etihad. Mohammed Kudus and Tomas Soucek spurned promising opportunities for the visitors before Savinho, who starred in last weekend's win over Leicester City, saw his cross deflect into the bottom corner off the helpless Coufal.

Despite Man City edging in front in the tenth minute, it was West Ham who served up the better of the chances during the opening half-hour. The Hammers broke with pace and intensity on the counter-attack when the hosts surrendered possession, but failed to make the most of a series of encouraging attacks.

Bernardo Silva came close to punishing their wastefulness in the 32nd minute after taking aim following a slick Man City move, but the diminutive Portuguese saw his low drive rebuffed by the outstretched feet of Alphonse Areola.

The reigning Premier League champions began to purr at the end of the first half and once again forced Areola to stretch as they chased a reassuring second. Rico Lewis was offered too much freedom as he collected the ball 25 yards from goal but the youngster saw his venomous effort pushed wide.

The hosts were eventually rewarded for their pressure before the break as Haaland got on the scoresheet for a second successive outing. In a near carbon copy of the Norwegian's strike against Leicester last time out, he produced a composed far-post header following Savinho's exceptional deep cross.

Any hopes of an inspired comeback from the Hammers were extinguished ten minutes into the second half as Haaland secured his brace. It was again Savinho who forged the effort, driving forward and releasing the towering Man City striker, who delicately dinked over the onrushing Areola.

West Ham were the architects of their own downfall as City quickly snatched an emphatic fourth. Kevin De Bruyne picked up a loose pass from Kudus and slid the ball across to Foden, who grabbed his second Premier League goal of the season to put some gloss on the scoreline.

 

There would be no clean sheet for Man City as West Ham pulled one back through Fullkrug, with the hosts taking their foot off the gas in the closing stages. Lucas Paqueta also came close to a second for the Hammers, but his poked shot whistled inches wide.

However, it mattered little as Man City secured an important victory that sees them close the gap on the top four.