Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City's Erling Haaland scores their third goal REUTERS/Phil Noble
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -Manchester City thrashed West Ham United 4-1 in the Premier League on Saturday to claim their first back-to-back wins since October thanks to two goals from Erling Haaland in one of their best performances in weeks.
The champions are sixth in the table on 34 points, 11 behind leaders Liverpool who have two games in hand.
"No," City boss Pep Guardiola told the BBC when asked if his team are back in the groove. "It is happier to win but we are still not like we were for different reasons. The result will help. We struggle, but it is a release."
West Ham, coming off a 5-0 rout by leaders Liverpool, are 13th with 23 points.
Savinho, who scored his first goal for Man City in the 2-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday which -- their first victory in five league games -- set up three goals at Etihad Stadium, including the 10th-minute opener when defender Vladimir Coufal deflected the Brazilian's angled shot into the far corner.
Haaland, whose double was his first in a Premier League game since September, struck in the 42nd minute when Savinho whipped in a long cross and the big Norwegian leapt sideways to head in.
Haaland notched his second shortly after the break when Savinho set him clear and the 24-year-old nonchalantly chipped over goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
"He will always score goals," City captain Kevin De Bruyne told the BBC. "If we create chances he will score goals and even with the bad period being at 20 goals at this stage of the season is exceptional."
Phil Foden increased City's lead in the 58th minute when De Bruyne pounced on Mohammed Kudus' sloppy pass and sent a square pass to Foden for an easy tap-in.
Niclas Fullkrug grabbed a late consolation for the visitors.
GOOD CHANCES
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui -- who headed straight for the tunnel at full-time rather than applaud the travelling fans -- will rue several good chances for his team in the first half, including a shot from Kudus into the side netting after the Hammers had sliced through a nervous-looking City defence.
Kudus then sprinted down the right before cutting the ball back to Tomas Soucek who sent his shot wide and Kudus blazed another shot wide.
West Ham had 17 shots to City's 10, but only four on target, while the home side had seven. The Hammers have conceded three or more goals in eight games this season, tied for worst with rock-bottom Southampton.
"We are upset because we had a good chance to take the points from Manchester City, especially in the first half, I had a good chance and we had a few others and then we conceded a deflected goal," West Ham captain Soucek said.
It was only the second time this season that City scored four goals in a league game, the other being a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town.
"We understand a bit more what we have done in the last 10 years and how hard it is," De Bruyne said. "We are working really hard and the team is coming back fitness wise. It's a bit of an improvement but we understand it still has to be better."
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Ed Osmond)
