Erling Haaland wasn’t on top form in Manchester City’s 3-1 win away at West Ham, but the Premier League champs had another star to rave about instead
Erling Haaland was left red-faced on more than one occasion (Image: beIN Sports)
Manchester City fans were hailing their new “unreal demon” as Erling Haaland kept fluffing his lines against West Ham.
Haaland appeared to have left his shooting boots for the trip to the London Stadium at home on Saturday (September 16) afternoon. He had a big chance to put City ahead in the 15th minute but fired wide inside the six-yard box.
The Hammers went on to take the lead as James Ward-Prowse headed home Vladimir Coufal’s cross. Shortly after Haaland had another glorious opportunity to level, but he somehow couldn’t convert Jeremy Doku’s cross.
It was Doku who got the visitors on terms after the break, sprinting into the box and finding the far bottom corner with a sweet strike. The 21-year-old, who arrived in a £55.5m deal from Rennes last month, had his new fanbase buzzing on social media.
One posted: “Jeremy Doku absolutely destroyed Coufal, unreal demon.” Another wrote: “Haaland should have finished that. But damn what a ball that was by Doku.”
Haaland could’ve and probably should’ve given City the lead against West Ham (Image: beIN Sports)
He also missed a sitter to level before half-time (Image: beIN Sports)
“Looking long for Jack Grealish,” commented a third, while a fourth argued: “Grealish is never getting back into the team.”
A fifth claimed: “Jeremy Doku is going to make the Premier League his playground.” And a sixth exclaimed: “Doku plays like he’s on 2x speed holy s*** man.”
Jeremy Doku starred for Man City on his second start (Image: PA)
City turned the game on its head with a little under 15 minutes to go as Bernardo Silva got on the end of Julian Alvarez’s chipped through ball to tap home past Alphonse Areola.
And while he missed as many as five big chances throughout the game, Haaland did manage to get on the scoresheet as is usually inevitable. Bernardo turned provider to feed him his seventh goal of the season.
