Erling Haaland's unusual goal celebration shows Man City signing finally has what it takes
Manchester City recorded their joint-biggest win of the season and back-to-back successes for the first time since October as they eased past West Ham.
Erling Haaland scored a brace and Savinho notched three assists in a one-sided victory that begins 2025 in much better fashion than 2024 ended. City looked a little more like themselves, and created some lovely attacking moves on their way to a big win that their defiant players will tell you has been coming.
Savinho's cross was diverted in by Vladimir Coufal early on, before Savinho beat Coufal on the right before crossing for Haaland to head in. The Brazilian slipped Haaland in for a third assist in the second half, before Phil Foden converted one-on-one shortly after.
These are the moments you might have missed from City's clash with West Ham:
Haaland's reaction tells full story
Haaland had barely landed back on the ground after rising to meet Savinho's cross to head in his 20th goal of the season, before he started to celebrate. He was never going to miss the header for the cross was so inviting.
A puff of the cheeks, a look back at Savinho in disbelief, and a point to the Brazilian to tell the crowd where the credit for the goal should come from. Haaland raced to the winger, and the pair celebrated together. Savinho had celebrated City's opener wildly like his own, with the second assist more deserving of a knee slide.
Not only had the Brazilian whipped in one of the crosses of the season, he had collected Foden's crossfield pass with a lovely first touch, turned Vladimir Coufal inside out and then knocked it past him. After his earlier cross was deflected in by Coufal, the Czech was probably sick of the sight of Savinho by half-time.
This was the Brazilian's