West Ham 1-3 Man City: Erling Haaland scores his second hat-trick in eight days as Pep Guardiola’s men maintain their 100% start to the season

Turnovers in midfield and running back 70 yards to stop counter-attacks. Maybe Erling Haaland will become the universally accepted complete Pep Guardiola player after all.

This was one of his best nights in a Manchester City shirt. Not so much for the goals – he scores whenever and wherever – but for the feel, the look. The most phenomenal marksman in world football had the run from East London.

Haaland has revealed he has never felt fitter, which, despite being bothered by complaints of muscle fatigue behind the scenes a few weeks ago, seems obvious. A second hat-trick in eight days. Not many have wondered recently whether he fits into a Guardiola team. Funny, that.

The Norwegian is beastly. He quickly runs into midfield to win possession, setting up a sharp counter that Jack Grealish might have finished. Then a sprint with Michail Antonio, on the back of a disorganised City corner, to prevent West Ham from hurting them on the counter-attack, leaving his No. 9 opponent in touch. He was almost the last man.

Will these come without the confidence born from the purity of two first-half finishes that set him above his peers? Perhaps not; the two facets of his performance probably go hand in hand. ‘When he scores normally, his pressing is better because he is happy,’ Guardiola smiled. ‘But we have a rule… everyone has to do it every time, every game.’

Haaland is now averaging more than one goal per game in his Premier League career

Man City’s superstar number 9 has scored 70 goals in 69 games during his Premier League career

City have now won three from their first three Premier League games this season

Saturday’s win took reigning champions City clear to the top of the Premier League table

All three goals, in the 10th, 30th and 83rd minutes, were the result of a precise first touch pushed in front of him to inflict maximum damage. The first, released between centre-backs by Bernardo Silva, was squished into the far corner by Alphonese Areola.

The second, from a selfless square pass from Rico Lewis, flew with unstoppable destruction into the roof of West Ham’s net. The third, to secure the points, was brutally dinked. All different, all devastating.

Seven goals in three Premier League games now. Haaland gave the away end a nonchalant thumbs-up when it was all over and the squad are complaining about the number of match balls they’ve had to sign over the last two years. That Sharpie is going to have a hard time and his ball room might need an extension.

Last year he scored a lot but there were still a lot of question marks about his performances. The difference is in the way he earns those numbers, the accuracy and certainty of it and what he does elsewhere on the pitch.

The instinctive swipe from outside the box to secure his hat-trick against Ipswich Town last week – only his fifth from beyond 18 yards for City – spoke of a newfound arrogance. The run against West Ham spoke of a newfound energy. And then the little things: when he receives passes forward, he doesn’t come up so short, giving himself more space to move. He’s working on all that.

And it will undoubtedly fuel those behind him. City had to fight hard against West Ham – and at times seemed to mirror Arsenal in dropping points – but when they were in control, which they were for much of the time, it was as if there was only one team.

West Ham were encouraged, partly by their own strength and partly by City’s brief weakness. A Ruben Dias own goal sandwiched between Haaland’s first-half shots, a 19th-minute equaliser that owed much to Mateo Kovacic’s over-commitment to winning the ball back.

Kovacic has admitted that his need to get involved higher up the pitch is hampering his role as Rodri’s replacement. That was made clear when Lucas Paqueta – who would have been wearing the nostalgic 1999 City kit had it not been for an FA investigation – let Jarrod Bowen slide down the right and his cross came in off Dias.

Haaland found the net in the 10th, 30th and 83rd minutes at West Ham’s London Stadium

The final goal of Saturday’s match was confirmed after a VAR check for possible offside

Pep Guardiola pictured on the touchline during Saturday’s convincing away win in London

Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham were blown out by City and could have lost by a bigger margin

Haaland smiled as he received the match ball from referee Michael Oliver after the final score

West Ham confused City early in the game and then again for 20 minutes after the break, with Mohammed Kudus hitting the post, as a revived Kevin De Bruyne had done earlier, and Bowen causing Josko Gvardiol big trouble down the home side’s right.

Julen Lopetegui has come up with something during a summer of strong recruitment and the energetic nature of his fresh ideas should leave teams bewildered. Chelsea and Manchester United come here in the next two months and won’t relish the prospect.

“It’s true that City are one of the best teams in history,” Lopetegui said. “But it’s also true that we were very close to a draw in the second half.”

He’s right. The away section did quieten down a touch. Guardiola complimented Lopetegui as West Ham galloped through empty midfield spaces, sacrificing Jeremy Doku for Ilkay Gundogan in an attempt to regain control. By giving Kovacic extra support and watching Silva slow the play down the flanks, City were simply trying to calm things down.

Lukasz Fabianski, coming on for Areola at half-time, had made a save from Silva when Dias might have scored at the far post. Max Kilman headed a Bowen corner wide. Tomas Soucek fumbled within sight of an equaliser. Noel Gallagher, taking a moment to count his money, writhed in the posh seats. Guardiola threw his limbs in excitement.

They needn’t have wobbled. Seven minutes to go and Haaland was right back through. With a Matheus Nunes pass under his influence, the eyes went dim and Fabianski could do nothing but surrender to the chip over his flailing body. While City may not be at their best yet, the striker certainly is.