Erling Haaland Scores Twice as Man City Triumph to Move to the Summit.
The Norwegian striker added to his total Premier League strikes of the season.
At a Glance
Manchester City take first place in the Premier League with a win.
The prolific forward takes his tally to 19 strikes in the league this campaign.
The Dutch midfielder scores another for City prior to the interval.
The Norwegian goal machine found the net on two occasions to fire Manchester City beat struggling West Ham United for a fifth straight top-flight triumph.
The win sent them top of the table, a single point ahead of Arsenal, who can reclaim top spot later on Saturday.
West Ham, managed by Nuno, were desperate for a positive start however conceded early inside five minutes when Haaland scored at the second time of asking.
West Ham's defense was breached all too easily and Haaland unbelievably sent a free header wide shortly after scoring.
The Dutchman did get on the scoresheet shortly before the break, taking Haaland's pass before jinking forward and firing a shot into the top corner.
After the interval, West Ham sought a consolation however their forward hit the side netting and sent another effort off target.
Haaland's second goal sealed a joyless festive period for the visitors, as they remain anchored inside the relegation zone.
Manchester City Analysis: A Dominant Display
This was City's seventh consecutive win in all competitions and Pep Guardiola's side are building the sort of streak that often leads to trophies.
The Norwegian's opener and second-half finish extended an remarkable campaign where he has scored 19 in the Premier League.
After Reijnders thumped home the second, the outcome seemed certain as City extended their remarkable unbeaten run against sides in the drop zone.
The goalkeeper saved from two City players late on, yet City's comfortable win means they remain unbeaten against West Ham in two decades of league meetings.
West Ham Analysis: Festive Struggles
For the West Ham fans, any hope of a surprise result was extinguished almost immediately of kick-off.
The team have not enjoyed a boost from a coaching change, winning just two and now without a victory in their past six league fixtures.
This leaves them in 18th place, three points adrift, with the gap potentially widening as other teams have fixtures remaining.
Other than a couple of opportunities for their winger and a well-struck free-kick, they offered little threat for the opposition goalkeeper.
In the past, West Ham have survived relegation when outside the bottom place at Christmas, offering a faint hope for this season.
What's Next?
Manchester City: The side have a break before playing again with a visit to Nottingham Forest.
Nuno's team: They welcome Fulham in London on the same day.
