Erling Haaland sends ominous Premier League message as West Ham become first to fall from Manchester City star

It was hardly the brash, bulldozer, “I’ve arrived!” moment some might have imagined, no trace of destruction, no bodies shrivelled in its wake, no eruption of a stage hatch like a one-man boy band from the 90s.

It was much more jazz club pianist, in fact, the Norwegian meandering modestly between the tables, sitting down and giving the ivories a tinkle while sending Alphonse Areola the wrong way to commute a penalty he had won himself and the champions set up their way to a 2-0 win at the start of their campaign.

But the 22-year-old’s second Premier League goal, effectively taking home the three points in 65 minutes, will be the one that managers and coaches replay in analysis suites on training pitches across the division when City come their way. scrambling for a plan to contain a couple where the world’s best passer supplies the bullets for the deadliest goalscorer.

It seemed a goal of such simplicity, and so inevitable, from the moment Kevin De Bruyne picked up the ball almost halfway through, but the visibility, the weight of the pass, the timing of the run and the finish were each almost unnecessarily perfect.

Just like in the Community Shield last weekend, there were times when Haaland looked very much like the new kid here, still figuring out who’s where and who’s not talking to whom. Understandably, his teammates are still figuring out how to accommodate their new centerpiece as well, how to make him tap, how close it is safe to get. At one point, Ilkay Gundogan arrived on a low cross from De Bruyne, expecting to score the archetypal City backpost tap-in, only to find the considerable mass of a sliding Haaland between him and the goal and, forced himself To adjust, he dragged his finial back across the face.

Not surprising, although it is De Bruyne who seems to learn the fastest. The Belgian scored both goals, but just as remarkable was his willingness to try and capitalize on the new dimension of City’s attack, failing to re-use possession several times in a tight spot and instead adopting the kind of blind, floating cross. to the center that a few months ago would not have had a likely attacker.

It’s a relationship that already has an ominous feel to it.

West Ham already have injury concerns

Until his goal, Haaland’s main contribution was forcing the injury of Hammers keeper Lukasz Fabianski after a collision when he appeared to be coming to the end of a cross. Despite all their possession, City as a collective hadn’t offered much more except for De Bruyne’s tap-in, who was disallowed in the run-up for offside against Ilkay Gundogan.

That would have made the way Areola City previously poured their opener with a brash challenge all the more frustrating for David Moyes.

The Scot had to make a big decision to decide whether to keep Fabianski as his Premier League number 1 or hand the gloves over to Areola, who excelled in the cup competitions he loaned out from PSG last season and has now made that move final. .

Fabianski, Moyes concluded, had done nothing to justify the loss of his shirt, but the Hammers boss wouldn’t have really panicked because he had to turn to Areola so quickly.

Maybe he should have been. Whether he caught a cold from his unexpected introduction or not, the Frenchman’s decision to attack and slip at Haaland’s feet was unwise and made Haaland’s mind for him. It gave City a goal that had not come and left the Hammers with a tough task.

It was suspected that a Fabianski injury or crying spell would be needed before Areola has a chance to make the position his own and the veteran will almost certainly return to the starting lineup against Nottingham Forest, with his injury only thought to be a dead leg.