Man City 4 West Ham 1: Haaland back in the groove with two goals in thrashing to increase pressure on Lopetegui

NORMAL service still far from resumed…but a City stroll and Erling Haaland through the 20-goal barrier again will certainly do for now.

And after the two months of hell Pep Guardiola’s four-time champions endured before the Festive period, that is a more than acceptable start to the New Year.

Admittedly nowhere near the five-star, blow-everyone-away team we have come to expect just yet. But a pretty decent start to 2025, nonetheless.

Two goals from an increasingly back-in-the-groove Haaland – that’s 21 now in a supposedly dodgy campaign – and two more assists from increasingly vital Savinho.

You can probably make that three, in fact, given the fact it was the Brazilian’s would-be cross which Vladimir Coufal turned into his own net for the opener, actually.

Certainly, though, a growing sense that City – slowly, steadily but surely – are edging in the right direction once more with almost half the season to go.

Even though there are, in fairness, few bigger football certainties than a home win over the Hammers – in all bar one of the past 15 meetings here, in fact.

So no great surprise to see another notch on the bedpost after the latest clash either…even though the visitors did have some cause to feel aggrieved as they headed back south.

Not so much for blowing a couple of chances, but more the clanger that denied Crys Summerville a run on goal after Manuel Akanji had the ball nicked off his toe.

Still nearly half the length of the field to go admittedly, but no covering defender in sight as the striker set off.

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Yet instead of letting the move pan out, then leaving VAR Graham Scott to make the call, ref Michael Salisbury blew.

And considering no amount of television replays could deliver a unanimous verdict, there was every reason for manager Julen Lopetegui’s touchline tantrum.

By then the Spaniard’s side were already chasing the game – thanks to a City opener that was more down to fortune than flair.

Savinho certainly wasn’t planning to shoot as he cut in from the left, trying instead to pick out Haaland in the middle.

Yet when Vladimir Coufal raced over to block, the ball clipped off his outstretched leg, flew over stranded keeper Alphonse Areola and into the far corner.

City will no doubt claim they were due a bit of good luck, given they had precious of it during that shocking run before beating Leicester a week ago.

But even after getting their noses in front, Guardiola’s men didn’t exactly play like the serial title winners they are – well not for another half hour at least.

Indeed, there was good cause to argue a one-goal advantage at the break would have been flattering. Doubling it three minutes beforehand certainly was.

That came courtesy of Haaland’s opener, and few of the previous 19 he had notched in all competitions this term were easier.

Once again Savinho was at the heart of it, with a sweeping, searching, sensational cross beyond the far post – which the striking Viking rose unopposed for a point-blank nod-in.

Cruel on the Hammers, for sure. But effectively a game-clincher for City, because you could all but see the wind – and hope – drain from the visitors at that second.

And so, indeed, it proved. Although that was little excuse for some of the kamikaze defending that allowed City to add another two in three manic minutes after the break.

Not so much with the first of them, admittedly…that was more down to Savinho being, well, savvy in spotting Haaland’s run behind Max Kilman and a slide-rule assist.

It came with the most delightful of dinks over Areola – and as far as a contest, that really was that.

A second successive win for the first time since October – what an incredible statistic that is for the champions – signed and sealed with over half an hour still to play.

And with the shackles off, the pressure released and the chance to cut loose, Pep’s prize guys wasted no time in bagging a fourth.

Although strictly speaking West Ham played as big a part in the assist as Kevin De Bruyne’s final ball, with a blueprint in cut-your-own-throat defending.

That was all you could call Kudus’ pass to Edson Alvarez – a simple ten yard ball – which went behind his team-mate and sent De Bruyne away.

The Belgian could probably have done the business himself some 12 yards from goal. Instead he rolled it to Phil Foden on his right and he certainly did.

At least Niclas Fullkrug finally gave the Hammers some reward for their efforts when he stuck out a leg for the neat finish Tomas Soucek’s delivery deserved.

But in the land of small mercies, it was very much the smallest crumb of comfort for Lopetegui, back in the firing line once more after last week’s five-goal hiding off Liverpool.

For Guardiola, though, there is certainly a chink of sunlight peeping through those dark clouds at last…