Manchester City continued their impressive recovery in the Premier League with a dominant 4-1 victory over West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on January 4, 2025. This marks their second consecutive win after a rough patch earlier in the season. Erling Haaland played a key role in the win, scoring two goals, bringing his tally to three in just two matches.
City took the lead early in the 10th minute when Vladimir Coufal accidentally deflected Savinho’s cross into his own net. Just before halftime, Savinho set up Haaland, who managed to lose his marker Max Kilman and head in the second goal.
The duo continued to shine, as they combined again for City’s third goal early in the second half. Phil Foden added a fourth, and while West Ham managed to score a consolation goal through Niclas Fuellkrug, they could not prevent the heavy defeat.
West Ham, having conceded nine goals in two games, are struggling after a 5-0 loss to league leaders Liverpool last week.
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s poor form continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace. The Blues had been hoping for a turnaround but could not secure the three points, despite taking the lead in the first half through Cole Palmer, who finished off a well-worked move.
Despite having more possession, Chelsea failed to make the most of their chances, and Jean-Philippe Mateta equalized for Palace in the 82nd minute. Chelsea’s manager, Enzo Maresca, made several changes to the starting lineup but could not inspire his team to victory. This result leaves Chelsea nine points behind Liverpool, having played two more games.
In other matches, Newcastle United continued their good run with a 2-1 comeback victory over Tottenham Hotspur, earning their fifth straight Premier League win.
Alexander Isak scored the winning goal for Newcastle, while Spurs’ frustrations mounted due to questionable refereeing decisions. Manager Ange Postecoglou expressed his anger, saying he had never been so furious in his career.
Aston Villa defeated Leicester City 2-1, while Brentford enjoyed a rare 5-0 away win over Southampton. Bournemouth also picked up a vital 1-0 victory against Everton.
