Manchester City move top with 3-0 win over West Ham as Haaland nets twice; Brentford beat Wolves, Burnley rescue late draw at Bournemouth

Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League on Saturday with a commanding 3-0 win over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium, as Erling Haaland struck twice and Julian Reijnders added a third for Pep Guardiola’s side.

City dominated from the opening whistle, and Haaland broke the deadlock after five minutes with a sharp finish after a slick team move. The Norwegian doubled City’s lead in the 39th minute, curling a precise shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner following a well-worked passing phase. Haaland completed his brace in the 69th minute, finishing another quick counter-attacking move to seal the emphatic result.

West Ham offered little in response, rarely testing City’s defense or probing Ederson in goal. The loss adds pressure on Nuno Espírito Santo as his side looks to steady a season that has included inconsistent results and reminders that the climate around the London club remains scrutinized. City’s victory sent a message in the title race, with Arsenal’s ongoing fixtures shaping the broader context of the title challenge as the season heads toward its winter stretch.

Elsewhere in the 3pm kickoffs, Brentford secured a 2-0 win at Wolves as Keane Lewis-Potter struck twice, first in the 63rd minute and again in the 83rd, delivering a painful afternoon for the home side and continuing Brentford’s improved form on the road. A late save from Caoimhín Kelleher preserved Brentford’s two-goal advantage after a penalty was awarded to Wolves in the 89th minute, but the hosts could not convert.

At Bournemouth, Anthony Semenyo gave the home side the lead in the 67th minute, but Burnley responded through Armando Broja in the 90th minute to earn a 1-1 draw. It was a crucial point in a tight game, with Burnley’s late-leveler denying Bournemouth a first win in several games and keeping both sides within reach of the mid-table pack.

In another 3pm result, Brighton and Sunderland played out a goalless draw on the south coast, a hard-fought contest that reflected the energy and grind of the day’s fixtures. Tara Anson-Walsh, who covered the match, noted the contest’s absence of a decisive moment, with both teams failing to find a breakthrough in a game that offered few clear-cut opportunities.

The late-in-the-day results help shape the Premier League table as the weekend unfolds. City’s three-goal performance not only tightened the race for the title but also served as a blunt reminder of the squad depth Guardiola can rely on when key players are pressed and rotated over a busy schedule. The result also increases the pressure on Arsenal, who have their own fixtures to navigate in the coming days as they chase a top-of-the-table finish.

Looking ahead, the landscape of the title race remains fluid. City’s win aligns with their ongoing push for consistency against challengers, while Brentford’s win at Wolves demonstrates the volatility of form across the league. Bournemouth and Burnley’s draw adds another layer of unpredictability as teams jostle for position in the late-season pack, and Brighton–Sunderland’s stalemate reflects the spread of results among midtable clubs trying to build momentum.

As teams digest these results, attention will turn to the next round of matches, where decisions made on the training pitch and in squad rotation will influence momentum. The Premier League season continues to present a crowded and competitive landscape, with multiple teams aiming to capitalize on slip-ups and maintain a push toward European places or trophy opportunities.