Man City 4:1 West Ham
Crystal Palace 1:1 Chelsea
After ending their losing streak with a 2-0 win over Leicester in their previous match, Manchester City faced the challenge of maintaining momentum against West Ham. Pep Guardiola’s men delivered convincingly.
At the Etihad, City crushed West Ham 4-1, signaling a strong comeback. Erling Haaland’s brace played a key role as the reigning champions kicked off the new year on a high note. Now, they’ll look to extend this winning run.
City took control early, scoring twice in the first half. In the 10th minute, Savinho’s shot deflected off Vladimir Coufal and found the back of the net, putting City ahead. The second goal came in the 42nd minute, with Haaland heading in a brilliant cross from the left flank. This marked Haaland’s first home goal since October 26. City went into halftime with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
After the break, City slammed the door shut on any West Ham comeback with two quick goals in just three minutes. Haaland netted his second in the 55th minute, and Phil Foden followed up with another in the 58th, taking the lead to 4-0.
West Ham’s Nicolas Füllkrug managed to pull one back in the 71st minute, but it only served to reduce the deficit. With this dominant win at home, City now sits sixth in the league table with 10 wins, 4 draws, and 6 losses from 20 matches.
Chelsea Drop Points Yet Again
While City celebrated a strong start to the year, Chelsea stumbled once more, settling for a 1-1 draw away at Crystal Palace.
The Blues initially took the lead in the 14th minute, thanks to a goal from Cole Palmer. However, Crystal Palace fought back, with Jean-Philippe Mateta equalizing in the 82nd minute. Despite their efforts, Chelsea couldn’t find a winner and had to settle for a draw.
With this result, Chelsea remains in fourth place on the league table with 36 points from 20 matches. Their inability to capitalize on a lead continues to be a concern as they aim for consistency in the second half of the season.
