Manchester City’s relentless pursuit of another Premier League title showed no signs of slowing down on Saturday afternoon. In a clinical 3-0 dismantling of West Ham, Pep Guardiola’s side not only secured their fifth consecutive league victory but also sent a loud, clear message to Arsenal.
After heavy rotation during the midweek Carabao Cup clash against Brentford, Guardiola reverted to the same settled XI that swept Crystal Palace aside last week. It was a selection that prioritized rhythm—and no one found theirs faster than Erling Haaland.
The Triple Captaincy Debt Repaid
For the nearly one million Fantasy Premier League managers who placed their faith in Haaland this week, the atmosphere was as much about relief as it was celebration.
Having become the second-most Triple-Captained player in history—with 901,085 users activating the chip—the pressure was on the Norwegian to avoid a repeat of his underwhelming two-point return against Leeds in Gameweek 13.
He wasted no time in settling the debt. In just the 5th minute, Haaland forced a sharp save from Alphonse Areola before reacting quickest to the rebound, slotting home his 103rd Premier League goal. The “robot” celebration returned, signaling a long afternoon ahead for the Hammers’ backline.
901,085 #FPL managers Triple Captained Erling Haaland against West Ham, the second-most ever in a single Gameweek.
⏰ 90 minutes played
⚽ Two goals
🅰️ One assist
📈 Three bonus points (as it stands)It’s safe to say he delivered 👏 pic.twitter.com/BUhxugR1Fy
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) December 20, 2025
City’s First-Half Blitz
City’s dominance is often defined by their “fast-start” philosophy, and this encounter was no exception. By the 39th minute, the lead was doubled through a moment of fluid brilliance.
Rayan Cherki found Haaland, whose deft flick released Tijjani Reijnders. The Dutchman showed exquisite footwork to dance past a desperate challenge before hammering a strike into the roof of the net.
The goal marked City’s 21st first-half strike of the season—a league-leading statistic that underscores their ability to kill games before the interval.
While West Ham threatened briefly in the second half, their lack of clinical edge proved fatal. Any hope of a comeback was extinguished in the 69th minute when Haaland struck again, poaching his 19th goal of the campaign and his 104th overall in the English top flight.
Former City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips was blunt in his assessment of the visitor’s resistance:
“They didn’t have to do much to be 3-0 up. West Ham made it very easy for them. City were toying with them; West Ham weren’t aggressive enough to cause problems. City could have gone up through the gears if they truly needed to.”
As the final whistle blew, the narrative was shared between City’s collective consistency and Haaland’s individual brilliance. With two goals and an assist, the Norwegian didn’t just deliver the points for his team—he delivered a windfall for the managers who gambled on his greatness.
19 – Erling Haaland’s 19 goals are the joint-most any player has scored before Christmas in a Premier League season, level with Andy Cole in 1993-94, Kevin Phillips in 1999-00, and Luis Suárez in 2013-14. Feast. pic.twitter.com/JcDWj4ZlBA
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 20, 2025
