Erling Haaland’s record-breaking 35th Premier League goal helped Manchester City beat West Ham United 3-0 on Wednesday to return to the top of the standings.
After 70 minutes, the Norwegian player broke the record for the most goals scored in a single Premier League season with a deft chip that he dinked into the back of the net. With this goal, he also broke the record for the most goals scored against West Ham United.
After Arsenal’s victory over Chelsea on Tuesday, treble-chasers City started the night in second place in the Premier League. However, they were frustrated by relegation-threatened West Ham in the first half, and they had two chances to score that were blocked by the woodwork.
However, it was a header from a free kick that Nathan Ake scored on five minutes after the halftime break to give his team the lead.
The anxiety surrounding the Etihad Stadium was relieved after that when Haaland scored by latching on to a through ball sent by Jack Grealish, beating Lukasz Fabianski, and moving above the 34 goals scored by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer with five games still to play.
Phil Foden, who came in as a replacement, then made it 3-0 with a wonderfully executed volley in the 85th minute, after the points had already been secured.
Pep Guardiola has led City to four Premier League titles in the last six seasons, and the club now sits in second place in the standings with 79 points after 33 matches, one point behind Arsenal (who have played one more game). If they win their match against Leeds United at home on Saturday, they will move four points ahead of their nearest competition.
West Ham is now in 15th position, just four points above the zone indicating automatic relegation.
The team managed by David Moyes would have anticipated a siege, and they were not disappointed as they spent almost the whole of the first half defending their own half while fending off wave after wave of raids from City.
Julian Alvarez and Riyad Mahrez both forced early saves from Fabianski that were rather straightforward. Haaland also headed a cross from Grealish over the bar despite having to make a tremendous effort. City continued to press forward.
Angelo Ogbonna was a titan in the West Ham defense as he headed away multiple crosses. West Ham was handicapped by the absence of England midfielder Declan Rice due of illness, but they defended heroically anyway.
Grealish had a quick shot that struck the outside of the upright, and then minutes later, Rodri took a shot that hit the post and agonizingly spanned across the face of the goal. City may have feared the worst when they were twice denied by the woodwork, the first time when Grealish’s effort hit the outside of the upright, and the second time when Rodri’s shooting hit the post.
Guardiola was left scratching his bald head as City failed to convert their 80% possession into a goal. Things might have been much worse if Jarrod Bowen’s effort, which came after a rare West Ham forward incursion, had not been saved by Ederson. However, Ederson was there to make the save.
It took four minutes after the half for West Ham to finally break, and when they did, they let up a goal that would have incensed Moyes.
After putting up such a valiant fight, they were ultimately defeated by a straightforward old tactic: a free kick taken by Mahrez and sent toward the far post, where Dutch defender Ake rose unopposed to head the ball past Fabianski.
Up until Grealish made the pass that allowed Haaland to score, West Ham seemed to still have the ability to put a twist to the story. However, Haaland scored 51 goals in all competitions during his amazing first season.
The final flourish was provided by Foden, who scored City’s 1,000th goal under Guardiola’s tenure as manager.