Pep Guardiola has found his two saviors and the second is less obvious than the first. If the breakdown experienced by Erling Haaland had to end at one point or another, it was more difficult to predict that Savinho would raise his level to this point. Against Leicester last Sunday, the Brazilian scored and made Haaland score (2-0). The former Girona player, who was on loan from Troyes without having played there, almost did it again this weekend during the big victory against West Ham (4-1).
The left winger first provoked Vladimir Coufal’s own goal (1-0, 10th). Success was there. It was much less so when he once again played against the Czech full-back with a surprising big bridge followed by a cross placed on Haaland’s skull (2-0, 42nd). Savinho was again at the pass to serve his attacker at the right tempo, author of a clever dive to increase the score after returning from the locker room (3-0, 55th).
Phil Foden (58th) for City and Niclas Füllkrug for the Hammers (71st) completed the statistics sheet. Although they had not started the match particularly well before their lucky opener, the Sky Blues did not lose control of the game after the gap was reduced. Thanks to this success, they are relaunching a positive series, having remained in a terrible period marked by only one victory in thirteen matches in all competitions. The Citizens also forestalled the return of Aston Villa, who coveted their unenviable sixth position in the Premier League.
Look up
Pep Guardiola’s players will perhaps start looking upwards again rather than fearing the return of opponents who do not usually play in their league. They are still one point behind Newcastle, fifth and winner of Tottenham (2-1) earlier this Saturday. Liverpool are still eleven points higher, despite two games less.
For their part, the Hammers sink a little further. Like Savinho and Haaland, the Londoners experienced a weekend similar to the previous one. West Ham, thirteenth, suffered another tough defeat after the rout against Liverpool (5-0).
