West Ham United 0-2 Manchester City
Manchester City got their 2022/23 Premier League defence up and running with a classy victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium.
Erling Braut Haaland won and converted a first half penalty to give Pep Guardiola’s champions the perfect start; and he added a second with a brilliant finish midway through the second half. It was a sensational performance from City’s summer marquee signing and their fans must be dreaming of what is to come from the ace hitman.
The Sky Blues’ disappointing 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Community Shield was quickly consigned to memory, particularly as the Reds dropped points in their opener, and West Ham will have to wait another week to get their campaign started.
Highlights of the game
West Ham have been busy in the transfer market and they completed the signing of Burnley winger Maxwell Cornet on Friday, but the Ivorian sat this one out as David Moyes started with his trusted front line of Michail Antonio, supported by Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals and Manuel Lanzini. And Bowen had a great effort blocked in just three minutes before Antonio headed over in the same wave of attacks.
It was a bright start from the Hammers but the Sky Blues gradually worked their way into the game and Kevin de Bruyne had the visitors’ first shot in anger, drilling a shot narrowly wide from 20 yards. City were trying to supply chances for Haaland on his league debut, by pinging balls into the box, but it was De Bruyne who came close again, tapping home a cross from Ilkay Gundogan but the German midfielder had strayed offside.
It was Haaland who made the breakthrough though, with a rapid burst into the penalty area; sub keeper Alphonse Areola, who’d only just come on for the injured Lukasz Fabianski, felled the striker and the ref pointed to the spot.
The big Norwegian was calm personified as he slotted the spot kick home, low into the bottom left corner.
The Sky Blues seemed to be finding life a little too easy in the second half and they should have doubled their lead on the hour when De Bruyne squared across the six yard box; Haaland slid in and missed the ball which fell at the feet of Gundogan and he pushed it wide with the goal at his mercy.
Said Benrahma tested Ederson with a low drive and the City keeper saved comfortably but then, in the blink of an eye, the Sky Blues were out of sight. De Bruyne slid a beautiful pass through to Haaland and he was too quick for the West Ham defence as he opened up his body and fired past Areola for his and City’s second.
City’s newest hero earned a standing ovation from the visiting fans as he was substituted, on 78 minutes as Guardiola introduced another new boy, Argentine striker Julian Alvarez. And Kalvin Phillips also came on for a late debut as City pushed the ball around to see out the win.
Key Statistics
My SBOTOP writing colleague backed goals in this fixture and there was plenty of goalmouth action but surprisingly few shots on target.
The Sky Blues had the better of all the stats, 75 per cent possession, 12 shots to six and two to one on target, both of which Haaland converted.
The last player to score a brace on his Manchester City Premier League debut was none other than…Sergio Aguero.
Haaland’s dad, Alfie, scored 18 Premier League goals in a career with Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Manchester City. What price the younger Haaland reaches that figure this season?
Short I’d say!
The crowd of 62,442 was a new record for West Ham at the London Stadium
What’s next?
The other big Premier League 2022 results on the opening weekend saw Liverpool held to a draw at Fulham, while Chelsea beat Everton and Tottenham Hotspur had a thumping win over Southampton. On Sunday afternoon Manchester United lost at home to Brighton and Hove Albion to give Erik Ten Hag a difficult start to his career at Old Trafford.
The pre-season Premier League 2022 betting odds are confident the Sky Blues will retain their title and we haven’t seen anything this weekend to cast that into doubt. Next Sunday West Ham visit new boys Nottingham Forest, who suffered a 2-0 opening day defeat away to Newcastle United while City host another newly promoted side Bournemouth, who marked their return to the top flight with a 2-0 victory at home to Aston Villa.
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