Manchester City began their Premier League title defence in confident fashion by brushing aside West Ham 2-0 in front of a record crowd at the London Stadium, with Erling Haaland scoring both goals.
Over 62,500 packed into the Hammers’ home ground – the biggest crowd of any London-based club – only to be met by the towering presence of Haaland and the wizardry of Ilkay Gundogan.
After a lethargic start, where the hosts were forced into changing goalkeepers after an untimely injury to Lukasz Fabianski, City captain Gundogan seized the initiative with an incisive pass that found the clever run of former Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland, who was then upended by substitute ‘keeper Alphonse Areola.
The Norwegian predictably found the back of the net from 12 yards with a coolly-struck spot-kick to open the scoring (26), before latching onto Kevin De Bruyne’s defence-splitting ball and slotting home his second of the afternoon (65).
Haaland is the second debutant in Premier League history to win a penalty and then successfully convert it, and the second striker to register twice on their City debut, matching Sergio Aguero’s feat from August 2011.
What’s next?
West Ham are on their travels in the Premier League’s second round of fixtures and will visit Nottingham Forest, who lost to Newcastle on opening weekend, with that game taking place on Sunday August 14, live on Sky Sports. The match starts at 2pm.
Manchester City return home to host Bournemouth next Saturday, 3pm, before a trip to face Eddie Howe’s rejuvenated Newcastle on Sunday August 21, live on Sky Sports.
