Haaland Nets a Brace as Man City Claim Victory to Climb to the Summit.
The Norwegian striker took his tally Premier League strikes of the campaign.
At a Glance
Pep Guardiola's side move top in the top flight following their victory.
The prolific forward brings his total to 19 strikes in the league this campaign.
Tijjani Reijnders adds a second for City before half-time.
Erling Haaland found the net on two occasions to help Manchester City beat struggling West Ham United for a fifth straight top-flight win.
This result sent them to the league's summit, a single point ahead of Arsenal, who have a chance to retake top spot in their evening fixture.
West Ham, under Nuno Espirito Santo, were desperate for a strong opening but found themselves behind within the opening five when Haaland scored at the second attempt.
West Ham's defense was breached with ease and Haaland somehow missed a close-range header soon after his opening goal.
The Dutchman did get on the scoresheet shortly before the break, collecting Haaland's pass before driving forward and hammering a shot into the top corner.
In the second half, West Ham tried to claw something back but their forward could only find the side netting and dragged another shot wide.
Haaland's second goal sealed a miserable Christmas for the Hammers, as they remain anchored inside the relegation zone.
Manchester City Analysis: A Dominant Display
This was City's seventh consecutive win in every competition and the team are starting to put together the sort of streak that often leads to major silverware.
Haaland's early goal and 69th-minute strike continued an astonishing campaign where he has notched 19 in the Premier League.
Once Reijnders slammed in the second goal, the outcome seemed certain as City stretched their impressive unbeaten run against sides in the relegation zone.
The goalkeeper denied Phil Foden and Savinho late on, yet City's commanding win means they have not lost against West Ham in two decades of league meetings.
West Ham Analysis: A Miserable Christmas
For the West Ham fans, all optimism of a surprise result vanished within five minutes of kick-off.
Nuno's side have failed to see a new managerial bounce, winning just two and now without a victory in their last six league fixtures.
This leaves them 18th in the table, three points from safety, with the gap potentially widening as other teams have fixtures remaining.
Aside from 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 avoided the drop when outside the bottom place at Christmas, offering a faint hope for this season.
What's Next?
Manchester City: They enjoy a week off before playing again with a trip to Nottingham Forest.
West Ham United: They host Fulham in London on the identical date.
