The startling numbers that render Erling Haaland a walking statistic after another hat-trick

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Erling Haaland is in danger of becoming a walking statistic.
As West Ham discovered to their cost, the Manchester City striker’s eighth Premier League hat-trick, his second in successive weeks, underscored the rejuvenating effect of a summer spent without international football.
Make that 11 hat-tricks for City, 24 in his career for club and country and 70 Premier League goals in 69 matches. Quite where Haaland keeps all of the match balls he earns is another question altogether. Since his Premier League debut, Haaland has scored just six goals fewer than Everton have as a team. His 70 goals in that span compare with Mohamed Salah, a distant second, with 39.
Judging by Haaland’s clinical precision against an overwhelmed West Ham, he appears intent on banishing his fitful autumn form of last season.
It would be simplistic to suggest that Haaland was the only difference between City and a West Ham side they have dominated to the tune of 15 victories and two draws in their past 17 Premier League meetings.
Yet, while Kevin De Bruyne struck the post and clipped a viciously dipping free-kick on to the roof the net, and Rico Lewis lifted a shot wastefully over the bar, it was Haaland who ensured the champions enter the international break with maximum points from their opening three games.
Pep Guardiola said: “Of course we are happy for another hat-trick from Erling and the quality of his finishing, but today I think he played an unbelievable game, not just his goals. Defensively and offensively, so I am really pleased for him.
“Now officially the pre-season is over so we will see how he recovers from this amount of games and from the international break.”
West Ham began encouragingly but any hope that this game might bring a change of fortune against City was a mirage that dissipated as the clock flicked over to five minutes.
Bernardo Silva served up a cross which ought to have been headed home by the unmarked Haaland. Uncharacteristically, the Norway striker mistimed his leap and headed wastefully over the bar.
It was an aberration. Normal service was resumed in the 10th minute. Lucas Paqueta allowed a simple Emerson pass to slip under his foot in his own half, a cardinal error when Bernardo Silva is around.
In a trice, the Portugal international toe-ended the ball into space before slipping the ball in front of Haaland, who slid his shot low into the bottom corner.
Not to be outdone, De Bruyne then slipped in Jack Grealish before the Belgian whipped in an effort that forced Alphonse Areola to claw the ball away at full stretch.
Next De Bruyne struck the post when a wide expanse of goal beckoned. And all of that in the opening 18 minutes. City looked as if they were trying to wrap up this game by the half-hour mark and the Premier League title by Christmas.
Then, out of nothing, West Ham equalised. Jarrod Bowen burst forward, took on Josko Gvardiol and saw his low cross turned into his own net by Ruben Dias.
Deep down, the West Ham supporters understood that the reprieve could only be temporary.
So it was when Grealish sprinted into the home area on the half-hour. A swift exchange of passes ensued before Rico Lewis laid the ball into the path of Haaland to lift home his fifth goal in three games at the London Stadium. Spoiler alert: he would make it six before the match was out.
City ought to have extended their lead before the interval. Lewis wastefully lifted his shot over the bar before De Bruyne whipped a viciously dipping free-kick on to the roof of the West Ham net.
The passion of the home supporters had been drenched rather than doused by City’s superiority in a first half of almost embarrassing one-sidedness.
Yet, as incongruous as it seemed, if a Mohammed Kudus shot in the closing moments of the first period had not skimmed just wide, the sides might have been level.
If the second half initially began with the same one-sided feel, a brilliant West Ham counter-attack following a low Grealish cross which caused consternation in the home six-yard area transformed the mood.
Kudus exchanged a masterful one-two with Bowen before striking a fierce shot which came back off the angle of Ederson’s post and bar.
It seemed that the home side had realised their counterparts were mere mortals and the fans responded in their bellicose way.
City, as is their wont, continued to create openings with Dias inches away from turning home a delightful De Bruyne cross in the 69th minute.
Naturally, the clinching goal was converted by Haaland, set free by substitute Matheus Nunes to run at replacement keeper Lucasz Fabianski and dink the ball delightfully over him.
Haaland might even have stolen a fourth goal, but while his shot squeezed through the legs of Fabianski from an oblique angle, it was diverted away from goal.
Even deeper into injury-time, Ederson was needed to divert a Crysencio Summerville shot against the post to deny West Ham late hope.
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui said: “We started well but we didn’t score and you have to take your chances against this type of team.
“We are frustrated because we wanted to win today and win these types of matches. We did some good things but it was not enough.”
“We played really good. West Ham are always dangerous. [Lucas] Paqueta can attack with [Mohammed] Kudus, the sense of danger is never over. We played really well, it was an unfortunate goal against. The second half was more open but we controlled it better and the performance is good. Officially the pre-season is now over. We played one game a week and it was a super season. Now they play two a week.”
On Erling Haaland: 
“From the beginning he was unbelievable. The second goal, even the first. The third goal is something unique. With this mindset he has, everything he can do. The numbers with the short age and the games he’s played. He’s loved for what he does on the pitch.
“You have to let him do what he wants. He scored three goals today but he didn’t lose one ball. Today is one of the games where he has played the best in all situations. When you see the games and see what we want to do, he understands because he is a smart guy. He wants to score goals.”
3️⃣ appearances7️⃣ goalsIncredible, @ErlingHaaland 🤯 pic.twitter.com/vKuIoQntev
Victory on the road 🩵📊🤝 #StatWrap | @okx pic.twitter.com/YCX25vvd2o
Arsenal 1-1 Brighton
Everton 2-3 Bournemouth
Leicester 1-2 Aston Villa
Ipswich 1-1 Fulham
Brentford 3-1 Southampton
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves
West Ham 1-3 Manchester City
“Pep’s been talking in the week that Haaland has been working on his touch and finishing. 
“You can see that it’s coming to fruition. The harder you work the luckier you get.
“There is such an amount of confidence where he’s really thriving right now. Last year –  he got goals but they didn’t come as easy as they are now.”
Question: How can a match be thrilling and routine at the same time?
Answer: Because Manchester City have now won 15 of their past 17 Premier League matches against West Ham with a combined 46-11 scoreline. And they drew the other two. Even the West Ham fans accept this fixture will end in a home defeat, but both sides will be able to take encouragement into the international break. City, because they have struck top form already. West Ham, because they caused problems in the second half and struck the woodwork twice. And because they only have to face City once more this season.
Haaland is now only six goals behind Everton since he came to the Premier League. It’s absolutely on.
Pep Guardiola is now unbeaten in all 17 Premier League games against West Ham.WWWWWWWWDWWDWWWWWIt’s the most a manager has faced a specific opponent without ever losing in the competition’s history. 👏 pic.twitter.com/IUZp89sV9y
1994 – Erling Haaland is the first player to score a hat-trick in two of a team’s first three league games in a season since Paul Jewell for Bradford in 1994-95. Diamond. #WHUMCI pic.twitter.com/XslGPlRI2H
“I thought West Ham were brilliant. I thought they were brave. I thought they took the game to Man City but in the end the difference is Haaland.
“Just the ruthlessness in front of goal, that’s why he has scored so many goals. We talk about his touches in games so often, maybe not getting involved, maybe not holding it up as we’d expect him to but in front of goal he is just extraordinary. One of the best I have ever seen.”
Haaland comes close to adding his fourth of the game but Fabianski just about makes the save with his legs. Down the other end Summerville thins he is about to score his first West Ham goal but is denied by a diving Ederson save and the outside of the post. 
There is the final whistle and Manchester City are three from three to start the season thanks to Haaland’s second hat-trick of the season.
FULL-TIME | Three goals for Haaland, three points for City! 😍⚒️ 1-3 🩵 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/xLjYi3kXrb
Akanji has been booked for a foul on Paqueta, who takes the free-kick quickly but West Ham lose it immediately, much to Paqueta’s frustration.
Lewis sends over a cross from the right, which Fabianski punches away.
There will be five added minutes at the end of this game.
Double change for Manchester City:
OFF Gvardiol, De Bruyne
ON Walker, Ake
West Ham change:
OFF Bowen
ON Summerville
Haaland (83’)
He has barely had a kick in this second half but he has his hat-trick. Nunes feeds the ball through to him and, one-on-one with Fabianski, he lifts it over the West Ham goalkeeper and secures the match ball. Haaland timed his run to perfection and then made the finish look easy. Back-to-back hat-tricks for Haaland. That should seal it for the visitors.
Kudus dispossess Bernardo deep inside the Manchester City half. He finds Fullkrug in the box, who lays it off to Soucek who has just come on. He drags his shot wide though and wastes the chance. Whilst there is still just one goal in it it is game on still.
West Ham are going to make their third change:
OFF Alvarez
ON Soucek
Rodriguez is the third West Ham player in fairly quick succession to be booked after a cynical trip on Kovacic.
With the two changes Pep Guardiola has made, he has quite a few central midfielders and not really any out-and-out wide players on the pitch. Bernardo looks like he has come to the right-hand side but with Kovacic, Gundogan, Nunes and De Bruyne all on the pitch it feels like they have a real box in midfield. Doku and Grealish, who were playing out wide, are the two who have come off.
Should Kilman have done better there? Bowen’s corner finds the centre-half but it looks like it almost surprises him and comes off his head and behind for a goal-kick. Manchester City are now making their second change:
OFF Grealish
ON Nunes
Kudus’ cross is blocked by Lewis and goes behind for a West Ham corner. The home side are going to make a double change before the corner:
OFF Emerson, Antonio
ON Coufal, Fullkrug
“Lopetegui has just replaced Michail Antonio with a like-for-like in Niclas Fullkrug, but given that West Ham seem to be causing problems for City with their pace on the break, it would have been intriguing to see Crysencio Summerville come on instead to play alongside Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen.”
Chance for the visitors. De Bruyne plays it short and then gets it back. He sends a great delivery to the far post towards Dias, but he cannot get his effort on goal.
Manchester City are making their first change of the night:
OFF Doku
ON Gundogan
Perhaps a little surprise that Doku has come off as two West Ham players have been booked on his side for fouls on him.
Grealish finds Bernardo in acres of space near the penalty spot and the Portuguese forward hits it first time, but it is an easy save for Fabianski.
“Whisper it quietly, but West Ham might have an opportunity to take something from this game. Whether Julen Lopetegui has taken the fear out of them or they have discovered that the City players are mere mortals, they are having a real go and the fans are responding in their bellicose way.”
Kilma follows his teammate Emerson into the book after another foul on Doku down the right-hand touchline.
Emerson is booked for a cynical trip on Doku. An unnecessary challenge from the West Ham left-back.
West Ham are knocking on the door here. Bowen threads a ball through to Antonio from the right-hand side of the box and it is squeezed behind for a corner. It comes out to outside the box, where Rodriguez strikes first time but he drags his effort wide. The noise level inside the London Stadium is starting to ramp up.
Bowen sends in a cross from the right deep to the far post, trying to pick out Antonio or Kudus but there is slightly too much on it despite a back-pedaling Kudus.
Kudus smashes the post! West Ham counter from their own box. They have numbers on Manchester City as Kudus drives forward. He plays it across to his right to Bowen, who then returns the favour. From the left-hand side of the box, Kudus strikes powerfully but his effort rebounds off the post. Unlucky.
West Ham have barely touched the ball in the first five minutes of this second half. It is all Manchester City.
The visitors have the first corner of the second half as Grealish’s cross is deflected behind by Wan-Bissaka. De Bruyne sends it in and picks out Bernardo, who flicks it on with his head but cannot keep his header down and the chance is gone.
We are back under way at the London Stadium. West Ham have made a change at the break and it is in goal as Fabianski replaces Areola, who has had to go off due to injury.
6 – Erling Haaland’s six goals so far in 2024-25 is the joint-most a player has ever scored in a team’s first three Premier League matches of a season, along with fellow Man City player Edin Dzeko in 2011-12. Machine. #WHUMCI pic.twitter.com/rL7ylMZlN4
“It’s fair to say that the passion of the West Ham fans has been drenched rather than doused by City’s superiority in a first-half of almost embarrassing one-sidedness. Yet, somehow, there is only one goal between the sides. And so, as incongruous as it seems, hope remains.”
There is the whistle and Manchester City lead 2-1 at the break after an Haaland double.
Close for West Ham. Alvarez finds Kudus with a good long diagonal. Kudus drives into the box and powerfully strikes across goal but misses the target. Not far off.
De Bruyne does take and he cannot quite get it to come down in time as his effort lands on the top of the net. Not a million miles off though.
Two added minutes at the end of this first half.
Haaland is fouled by Alvarez just outside the West Ham box and this presents a great chance for presumably De Bruyne to go for goal from around 20 yards out.
De Bruyne takes down Antonio as he was driving forward from inside his own half and referee Michael Oliver decides that challenge was worthy of the first yellow card of the game.
Doku drives into the box and his shot is deflected behind for another Manchester City corner. The London Stadium is very quiet at the moment as the visitors are completely on top. Dias wins the initial header and then Bernardo wins the next one but West Ham clear their lines.
Chance for Lewis. Haaland lays it off to Lewis on the right-hand side of the penalty area and he attempts to lift it over Areola, but lifts it over the top of the bar. He should be hitting the target there.
Have you tried to get Oasis tickets today?
Haaland (30’)
Manchester City are back ahead. Lewis finds him on the right-hand side of the box. Haaland takes one touch and then fires into the top of the net. It was quite close to Areola so should he have stopped that? It was hit powerfully but that could have been saved. The West Ham fans had been bouyed by their equaliser but that has taken quite a lot of energy out of the stadium.
“That didn’t last long. Haaland makes it five in his three games at the London Stadium and we are only half an hour into this one. Six for the season, too. It is a curious atmosphere with an acceptance among the home fans that more goals in the West Ham net will almost certainly follow.”
“What a crazy game. Manchester City looked as if they were trying to wrap up this game by the half-hour mark and the Premier League title by Christmas in the opening 18 minutes. Then West Ham equalise. The Hammers fans rose out of their seats with only modest expectations as Jarrod Bowen burst forward, only to see Ruben Dias deflect Bowen’s cross into his own net for the equaliser. Cue pandemonium laced with the fear that the reprieve could be only temporary.”
De Bruyne clips in a cross from the left, trying to find Haaland at the back post, but Kilman is on hand to head behind for a corner to the visitors. Gvardiol is found by De Bruyne’s outswinger but it is a comfortable save for Areola.
Dias OG (19’)
Manchester City could have scored two or three already but West Ham are back level. Bowen sends in a cross from the right-hand side of the box and it comes off Dias and rolls past Ederson into the back of the net. A goal against the run of play but the West Ham fans will not care one bit. Just over 60 seconds between de Bruyne hitting the post and that own goal.
De Bruyne hits the post! Doku cuts it to his fellow Belgian on the edge of the box and the De Bruyne’s strike comes thudding back off the post. Grealish then comes close to curling one into the top corner just moments later. It is all Manchester City at the moment.
Manchester City are nearly in again as West Ham lose the ball poorly again. De Bruyne plays it forward to Grealish, whose shot takes a deflection and goes behind for a corner.
De Bruyne plays it short to Grealish, who lays it back to the Belgian. De Bruyne takes it first time and nearly beats Areola at his near post with a wicked, intentional shot.
Haaland (11’)
What is Paqueta doing? He dawdles on the ball and loses possession to Bernardo in his own half. The Portuguese forward plays it forward into the path of Haaland, who makes no mistake as he cooly slots home to give Pep Guardiola’s side the lead.
Bernardo’s cross is blocked by Mavropanos and goes behind for the first corner of the game. De Bruyne sends it to the far post, where he picks out Gvardiol, but his header does not trouble Areola’s goal.
Grealish cuts it back to De Bruyne on the edge of the box. He is in space to take his shot but the West Ham defenders do well to block his shot.
First chance for the visitors and Haaland should have done better. Grealish plays it onto Bernardo, who stands up a cross from the byline on the left. His cross finds Haaland, who has a free header, but he misses the target as he cannot keep his header down.
First shot on target for West Ham. Bowen cuts in from the right and takes aim with his preferred left foot from just outside the box. It is an easy enough save for Ederson in the Manchester City goal but the shot was hit with some venom.
Close for the home side. Kudus sends in a cross from the left, which takes a deflection off Lewis, and it looks like Antonio is going to get on the end of it at the back post to poke home, but Gvardiol just about manages to clear his line.
Before kick-off, we pay tribute to former England and Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson. We are under way at the London Stadium.
Both sides have emerged from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off at the London Stadium.
On deadline day yesterday West Ham completed the signing of Carlos Soler on loan from PSG and he has just been out on the pitch waving to his new home crowd.
West Ham: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson, Rodríguez, Álvarez, Paquetá, Bowen, Kudus, Antonio.
Substitutes: Fabianski, Casey, Todibo, Coufal, Soucek, Irving, Guilherme, Summerville, Fullkrug.
Manchester City: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Doku, Grealish, Haaland.
Substitutes: Ortega, Walker, Stones, Ake, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Nunes, O’Reilly, McAtee.
Arsenal 1-1 Brighton
Everton 2-3 Bournemouth
Leicester 1-2 Aston Villa
Ipswich 1-1 Fulham
Brentford 3-1 Southampton
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolves
Bournemouth were 2-0 down with just five minutes of normal time remaining at Everton but they have won it 3-2 deep into extra time. You can follow all the reaction to that match and the other 3pm kick-offs with our dedicated blog.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka makes his full Premier League debut for West Ham as Julen Lopetegui makes two changes. Edson Alvarez also comes into the starting XI.
West Ham: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson, Rodríguez, Álvarez, Paquetá, Bowen, Kudus, Antonio.
Substitutes: Fabianski, Casey, Todibo, Coufal, Soucek, Irving, Guilherme, Summerville, Fullkrug.
Jack Grealish makes his first start of the season for Manchester City. It is the only change for Pep Guardiola’s side as Savinho has been ruled out with a knee injury. Rodri is back on the bench for the first time this season.
Manchester City: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Doku, Grealish, Haaland.
Substitutes: Ortega, Walker, Stones, Ake, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Nunes, O’Reilly, McAtee.
Set for 100 appearances in blue! 🩵Congratulations, Manu 👏#ManCity pic.twitter.com/P999V54bkD
Locked in 🔒😤#ManCity | #AsahiSuperDry pic.twitter.com/wdQmfxyf1B
First @PremierLeague start of the season for Edson 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/hNE0C8z0ji
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Your City side to face West Ham! 🩵XI | Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Doku, Grealish, HaalandSUBS | Ortega Moreno, Walker, Stones, Ake, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Nunes, O’Reilly, McAtee#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/eEamlefnUn
One change for the visitors: Jack Grealish makes his first start of the season.
Rodri is on the bench as he comes into the match-day squad for the first time this season.
Our men to face Manchester City ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/BO13u4KOxM
In one of two changes for West Ham, Aaron Wan-Bissaka makes his full Premier League debut for the club. Edson Alvarez also starts but Niclas Fullkrug is on the bench.
Julen Lopetegui is bidding to achieve something previous West Ham managers David Moyes, Manuel Pellegrini and Slaven Bilic could not do – beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Premier League.
West Ham’s awful record against the four-time champions since Guardiola was appointed is 14 defeats and two draws.
Lopetegui also has bitter memories of facing Erling Haaland after the City striker scored a hat-trick against his Wolves side in January last year.
“We know of the quality of the City players and City coach and their style, but we are going to go on Saturday with the aim to be able to overcome an unbelievable team as is City,” the Spaniard said.
“It’s not only about stopping Haaland but the City team. It’s very difficult because they are one of the best teams in the history of footballe.
“For sure, Haaland is very strong. I suffered him a lot of times in a lot of teams and we know his quality.”
West Ham will check on defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who went off at half-time against Bournemouth in midweek with a knock.
City midfield pair Mateo Kovacic and Rodri have recovered from injury but Phil Foden is still unwell ahead of the game.
Foden came on as a substitute in their season-opening 2-0 win at Chelsea but missed the last game due to sickness.
“Rodri is much better. Kovacic as well. Phil  still doesn’t feel good. The rest are OK,” Guardiola said.
Guardiola had a quiet transfer deadline day, with City not linked with any new signings after bringing back their former captain Ilkay Gundogan and adding Brazilian winger Savinho from Troyes.
“I am happy with the squad. Of course, if we have many injuries it could be a problem,” Guardiola said.
“Maybe it is a mistake [not replacing forward Julian Alvarez], I don’t know but I like to work with not a long, long squad.”
City are top of the table with six points after two games while West Ham are ninth on three points.