Erling Haaland has become the first player to score 35 goals in a Premier League season.

Erling Haaland has become the first player to score 35 goals in a Premier League season.

Nathan Ake’s opener and Phil Foden’s deflected shot helped Man City to a 3-0 victory over West Ham to put them back at the top of the table above Arsenal.

FTfull time

Manchester City versus West Ham United. Premier League. 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

Etihad StadiumAttendance: Attendance53,305. N Ake (50’50th minute)

E Haaland (70’70th minute)

P Foden (85’85th minute)

Free match report and highlights as Erling Haaland became the first player to score 35 goals in a Premier League season. Nathan Ake’s opener and Phil Foden’s deflected shot helped Man City to a 3-0 victory over West Ham to put them back at the top of the table above Arsenal.

Manchester City v West Ham

FREE TO WATCH: Manchester City v West Ham Premier League highlights

Erling Haaland broke the Premier League single-season record as Manchester City returned to the top of the table with a 3-0 win over West Ham.

David Moyes’ side made things difficult for the defending champions at the Etihad Stadium. At half-time, he was scoreless. But Nathan Ake put City ahead early in the second game before Haaland had his moment and beat Lukasz Fabianski for his 35th of the season. The goal moved him away from Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole as the first man to achieve that goal in the Premier League era, with five games remaining. Substitute Phil Foden made the win even more dramatic when his deflected shot set the game late.

Arsenal’s victory over Chelsea the night before reminded Pep Guardiola’s side that there was little room for complacency in the race for the Premier League title. They are hoping this is the first part of a historic hat-trick for the club.

This victory brings them one step closer and restores their one-point lead at the top with a game in hand. For West Ham, a third successive defeat means there is still work to be done to ensure their safety. There will be easier nights than this to claim the points they need.

How Manchester City broke West Ham

Moyes knew early on that illness would be without midfielder Declan Rice, while Tomas Soucek, Nayef Aguerd and the injured Kurt Zouma were also out. West Ham could designate just five outfield substitutions.

But his team managed to stifle City throughout the first half and close the space with Angelo Ogbonna who scored with a header. It was all so challenging, even though Rodri managed to slip in after a one-two with Haaland and hit the post.

The breakthrough came early in the second half and it was unusually easy given what had gone before. This will frustrate Moyes. Flynn Downes fouled Jack Grealish and as Riyad Mahrez curled in from the free kick, Ake was headed in at the far post.

West Ham briefly pushed and threatened Stefan Ortega’s goal on his Premier League debut from their own game situations. But Haaland had his lesson on the counterattack. Fed by Grealish, his adorable dink made for Fabianski. The record was his.

Foden had time to fly into the net from long range – via a deflection from Emerson Palmieri. But the night belonged to Haaland, his teammates lined up for a guard of honor after the game. Everyone will know there are bigger prizes to come.

Haaland on breaking the record

Asked if he was thinking about the record, Haaland told Sky Sports: “Yeah of course I knew that but we were trying to create chances to score goals and it wasn’t easy. They just came here to defend for 90 minutes and we had struggled a bit in the first half, but it was an important victory.”

On the goal, he added: “You can see what my first thought is: running towards the goal. Jack and I talked before the match: he wanted to give me the assist for the record goal. I knew I was looking for the goal. the ball she arrived and I saw the porter come out. “It was a great ball from Jack. When I chipped it, it bounced really well. I didn’t think I was going to chip, but the opportunity was there.

“It was a good feeling, like every goal I score. Winning the game is also very important. The honor guard really hurt me – they hit me hard on the back!”

Guardiola on the honor guard

During the post-match press conference, Guardiola admitted that Haaland’s honor guard had been pre-planned by his teammates.

“Of course we thought about it. In football, on special occasions, we have to show how special it is. Today was Erling. Score more goals than Alan Shearer and Andy Cole , the best striker, is special.” . “I think he deserves it. The whole team deserves it because he couldn’t do it without the team, but he’s a special striker. We’re really happy for him because it’s a pleasure to be in. with him, to work with him, to manage him, we are lucky to have him with us.

“Of course, this record will be broken sooner or later. Maybe in the future by him, maybe by others. But they will have to score many goals because he has scored many.

“I remember we lost to Liverpool in the Community Shield and it was ‘It won’t fit in the Premier League’. As journalists you sometimes encourage unbelievable comments in advance that we ourselves don’t know what’s going to happen.