Man City vs West Ham Player Ratings: Erling Haaland Brace Seals Dominant 3-0 Victory

Manchester City simply dismantled West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium, securing a comfortable 3-0 victory. The result was never really in doubt from the opening whistle. Without a shadow of a doubt, Erling Haaland was the star. He opened the scoring just six minutes in, setting the tone for the entire Premier League fixture. Man City just kept coming with their attack, wave after wave.

Tijjani Reijnders added a second before halftime, capping off a beautifully worked move. And Haaland wasn't done, adding his second goal in the 69th minute to put the game to bed. West Ham had their moments, and this match was a stark reminder of the gap between the two sides on the day. Here are Sportsdunia's Man City vs West Ham player ratings.

Erling Haaland Runs Riot with a 9.2 Rating After His Match-Winning Brace in Man City Player Ratings

Check out the Man City player ratings for the Man City vs West Ham fixture.

Goalkeeper

Gianluigi Donnarumma - 7.5: Had a relatively quiet day but was alert when called upon. Made a couple of really smart saves in the second half, especially one from a close-range Freddie Potts shot. What stood out to us was his save from Lucas Paquetá's long-range effort; it looked destined for the top corner. His distribution was tidy, and he commanded his area well. A comfortable clean sheet for the Italian.

Defenders

Matheus Nunes - 7.0: A really interesting performance, listed as a defender but he was everywhere. His 120 touches show just how involved he was. He was strong in the tackle, winning five, and constantly looked to get forward. He did lose possession a few times, but his proactive style was a net positive. A very modern full-back display from our perspective.

Rúben Dias - 7.0: The usual calm and collected performance from the Portuguese stalwart. He didn't have to make too many last-ditch tackles, which is a testament to his positioning. An incredible 96% pass accuracy shows his quality on the ball, building attacks from the back. Just a really solid, no-fuss day at the office.

Josko Gvardiol - 7.0: A powerful presence. He was strong in the air and recovered the ball eight times, snuffing out danger before it could escalate. He'll be disappointed to have missed that header from the corner, but defensively he was very sound. You can see his confidence growing with every game.

Nico O'Reilly - 6.0: It was a tough outing for the youngster, and that's putting it mildly. From our view, he struggled with the physicality, losing 11 of his 13 duels. He also committed five fouls, showing a bit of desperation at times. He was neat on the ball but was clearly targeted by West Ham's attackers. A learning experience, for sure.

Midfielders

Nico González - 6.5: A mixed bag. He kept the ball moving with an impressive 92% pass completion rate and was positionally sound. However, the yellow card was clumsy, and he was dribbled past a couple of times. Did his job without pulling up any trees before being substituted.

Bernardo Silva - 6.5: The captain worked tirelessly as he always does. He was constantly showing for the ball and trying to link play. However, it wasn't his most influential performance. An error leading to a shot is uncharacteristic, and he seemed a little off his usual creative best. Still a decent showing, just not the magical one we're used to.

Phil Foden - 7.0: A lively and intelligent performance. He was constantly drifting into pockets of space, and his link-up play with Haaland for that early chance was sublime. He created a big chance and was always a threat. Maybe a bit wasteful with one or two shots, but his movement was a nightmare for the opposition.

Tijjani Reijnders - 7.5: Excellent contribution in his 67 minutes. He took his goal really well, arriving in the box at the perfect time. His energy in the midfield was crucial for City's early dominance. It was a surprise to see him taken off, but he'd already done his damage. A very promising performance.

Rayan Cherki - 8.0: He was the creative genius for City while on the pitch. Six key passes is just an absurd number and tells you everything you need to know. He was dictating the tempo, finding teammates with incisive passes and his delivery from set-pieces was spot on. A joy to watch. You could see the dip in creativity after he was subbed.

Forwards

Erling Haaland - 9.0: What more can you say? An absolutely devastating performance and our Man of the Match. Two goals and an assist. He was simply unplayable. His first goal was a pure poacher's finish, and his second was a clinical strike. Yes, he missed a couple of big chances, but it didn't matter. He was the difference-maker, a true force of nature.

Substitutes

Savinho, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rico Lewis, Divine Mukasa - N/A: Came on when the game was already won. They kept the team's shape and saw out the result professionally but didn't have enough time or impact to warrant a specific rating.

Manager

Josep Guardiola - 8.0: His game plan was executed to perfection. His team dominated possession, created numerous chances, and were defensively solid. The decision to start with such an attacking lineup paid off immediately. He managed the game well, making substitutions to rest key players once the three points were secured. A flawless day for the gaffer.

Lucas Paquetá Shines Despite Defeat, Earning a Solid 7.5 Rating in West Ham Player Ratings

Check out the West Ham player ratings for the Man City vs West Ham fixture.

Goalkeeper

Alphonse Areola - 7.0: On a day where his team conceded three, it feels strange to rate the keeper so highly, but he was excellent. He made five saves, and without him, this could easily have been a 5-0 or 6-0 thrashing. He was left completely exposed for the goals. He stood up tall and made several key stops to keep the scoreline respectable. A valiant effort in a losing cause.

Defenders

Kyle Walker-Peters - 5.5: A really difficult day for the right-back. He was responsible for an error leading to a goal, a moment he'll want to forget. He won a decent number of duels but looked shaky against City's fluid attack. The constant pressure seemed to get to him. Just not his finest hour.

Maximilian Kilman - 6.0: He tried to hold the line but it was an overwhelming task. He made a few important clearances but was part of a backline that was pulled apart too easily. He wasn't directly at fault for the goals but struggled to impose himself on City's forwards.

Jean-Clair Todibo - 5.5: We expected a bit more from him. He only won one duel all game and looked a step off the pace. The movement of Haaland and Foden caused him all sorts of problems. He looked frustrated and was unable to get a foothold in the game at all.

Oliver Scarles - 6.0: Had a torrid time before his unfortunate injury. He was dribbled past three times in his 64 minutes on the pitch. He stuck to his task and made a few tackles, but it was a thankless job against a rampant City side. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Midfielders

Soungoutou Magassa - 6.5: One of the few West Ham players who can hold his head high. He was a beast in midfield, winning seven of his eight duels. He read the game well, making important tackles and interceptions. He provided a bit of steel in a midfield that was otherwise overrun.

Freddie Potts - 6.5: A decent showing from the midfielder. He was tidy in possession and even forced a good save from Donnarumma with a well-struck shot. He didn't hide and kept trying to play even when the game was running away from his team.

Mateus Fernandes - 6.5: Another who put in a good shift. His 90% pass accuracy is impressive given how little of the ball West Ham had. He worked hard defensively and tried to support the attack when he could. A solid individual performance in a poor team display.

Lucas Paquetá - 7.0: West Ham's best outfield player, in our opinion. He was the one trying to make things happen, creating two chances and forcing a great save with a shot from distance. He fought for every ball, winning nine duels. His quality was evident, but he was fighting a losing battle on his own for large parts of the game.

Forwards

Crysencio Summerville - 6.0: A frustrating game for the attacker. He got into some good positions and had a shot on target, but his final product was lacking. What stood out was how often he lost possession, 13 times in total. He just couldn't seem to make the ball stick.

Jarrod Bowen - 6.0: As captain, he'll be deeply disappointed. He missed a big chance that could have given his team a glimmer of hope. The yellow card for dissent showed his frustration. He worked hard but was isolated and couldn't impact the game in any meaningful way.

Substitutes

Ezra Mayers, Tomás Soucek, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Guido Rodríguez, Callum Wilson - N/A: Brought on to see the game out or change the flow, but the contest was over by the time they were introduced. Little to no impact to rate.

Manager

N. Simões Espírito Santo - 5.0: It's hard to be too critical when you're up against a machine like City, but his team looked tactically outclassed. The defensive structure was too easily broken, and they offered very little going forward. The plan, whatever it was, simply did not work. A very tough day at the office for him and his staff.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match Goes to Erling Haaland