Manchester City stormed to a winning start in the Premier League this season thanks to Erling Haaland’s brace on his league debut sealing a 2-0 win for Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday.
Beating at home by Tottheham Hotspur in the opening weekend of last season, Pep Guardiola field a fairly chanced side from the team that started the 3-1 loss to Liverpool in the Community Shield last the previous weekend.
Kevin De Bruyne gave City the lead moments before the half hour mark but unfortunately, Ilkay Gundogan, who teed him up was offside in the buildup.
Making his Premier League debut, Erlin Haaland won a penalty when he was brought down by substitute Goalkeeper, Alphonse Areola and the Norwegian duly dispatched from 12 yards, sending the Goalkeeper the wrong way to give City the lead.
While City continued to dominate and West Ham United never looked like relenting, nerves began to show as it was West Ham who almost ended their title defence last season after taking a 2-0 first half lead at the Olympic Stadium in May.
However, every growing doubt was put to bed when Erlin Haaland bursted through on goal to connect with a Kevin De Bruyne through pass to double the lead five minutes after the hour mark.
The striker scored a brace for the third consecutive opening weekend of league campaigns following his two seasons with Dortmund in the Bundesliga and now for Manchester City in the Premier League.
Moreso, the 22-year-old has now also scored in each of his league debut since becoming a professional. Norwegian Eliteserien, Austrian Bundesliga, German Bundesliga and now the English Premier League.
A dream start for the defending Champions, who will be relieved with the performance of their new signings following the sales of some of that important players in the squad this summer.
City also keep a clean sheet away at West Ham United in a league game for the first time since 2019 and that will be another positive for Pep Guardiola, who also watch bitter rival Liverpool slump to a draw at Fulham earlier on Saturday.
City play host to newly promoted Bournemouth in their next game while West Ham United travel to another newly promoted side in Nottingham Forest.
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi
