Guernsey Press

Late Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland goals keep Manchester City top

Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland were on target.

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Manchester City needed two late goals to put down a brave resistance from West Ham and seal a 3-1 win at the London Stadium to stay top of the Premier League.

Bernardo Silva gave the champions the lead for the first time 14 minutes from the end after latching onto a superb pass from Julian Alvarez, before Erling Haaland completed the job with a well-taken finish as West Ham pressed for an equaliser.

Earlier James Ward-Prowse had given David Moyes’ side a first-half lead that had them on course to overtake City at the top of the table, heading home from Vladimir Coufal’s cross for his second goal since joining in the summer.

Jeremy Doku, making just his second start, levelled with an expertly taken individual effort seconds after half-time, as City took charge of a difficult situation to send the hosts to their first defeat of the season and maintain their own perfect start.

West Ham survived a scare after just seven minutes and they had the heroics of Tomas Soucek and Alphonse Areola to thank. First, Rodri found space from a corner and thumped a far-post header at goal that the goalkeeper did well to push away.

The ball dropped to Haaland whose shot was blocked on the line by Soucek, sticking out his chest and bouncing it clear with his shoulder, before finally Reuben Dias’s effort was tipped over brilliantly by the goalkeeper.

The hosts went close themselves when Jarrod Bowen’s corner was cleverly flicked on by Soucek at the near post and fractionally missed the head of Nayef Aguerd as he stole in to finish.

West Ham United v Manchester City – Premier League – London Stadium
Erling Haaland went close early on for Manchester City (Stevne Paston/PA)

The hosts took more of a grip as the half wore on, and when their chance came it was ruthlessly taken.

The ball was given away wide on City’s left by Doku and West Ham broke down the flank with speed and purpose. Coufal was given space to dash into, and as his out-swinging cross arrived into the box there was Ward-Prowse stooping low to guide his header into the corner beyond Ederson.

James Ward-Prowse
James Ward-Prowse put the Hammers ahead (Steven Paston/PA)

It took the champions just 40 seconds to level after the break. Doku received it wide near the left touchline and looked up to find little on inside the box.

Instead he drove Coufal backwards into the area, standing him up and slipping inside with a deft right-foot touch before rolling it inside Areola’s far post in one cleverly executed motion.

Jeremy Doku levelled with a fine goal early in the second half
Jeremy Doku levelled with a fine goal early in the second half (Steven Paston/PA)

Then came West Ham’s turn to go within a whisker, Michail Antonio bursting beyond Dias in a foot race from Lucas Paqueta’s probing ball but taking a fractionally heavy touch at the crucial moment to allow Ederson to smother.

Suddenly the hosts were on top. Emerson spotted a gap in the heart of City’s defence to run into, his effort deflecting narrowly wide, and from the resulting corner Kurt Zouma’s thumping header required a sensational diving save from Ederson.

Bernardo Silva fired City ahead for the first time
Bernardo Silva fired City ahead for the first time (Steven Paston/PA)

Haaland was denied at close range when getting on the end of Kyle Walker’s cross, West Ham’s goalkeeper adding to a string of impressive saves.

But the Norwegian would not be denied. In the final minutes as West Ham pushed forward, Silva broke with the ball and rolled it across for Haaland to sweep coolly home and cap a fine win.

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