LONDON: Erling Haaland’s latest double covered over a bad mistake from Gianluigi Donnarumma in Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth that lifted the team into second place in the Premier League on Sunday.
Haaland moved onto 13 goals for the campaign — more than twice any other player — by running clear from passes by the impressive Rayan Cherki to finish one-on-one chances in the 17th and 33rd minutes. Haaland pulled out a robot celebration after the first goal.
Between those goals, Bournemouth equalized after Donnarumma attempted to punch clear an inswinging corner, only to misjudge it and pat the ball down in front of him. US midfielder Tyler Adams swept home the loose ball and Donnarumma was booked for complaining too stridently that he had been fouled.
That mistake will only be a footnote in the latest Haaland show, with the Norway striker making it 26 goals in 16 games for club and country this season. He has scored two goals in each of his last four home appearances in the Premier League.
“I try to help the team to win, that’s my goal,” Haaland said. “By scoring or helping by winning duels, doesn’t matter, as long as we win.”
Locally born left back Nico O’Reilly drove home the third goal in the 60th minute for City, which replaced Bournemouth in second to become the nearest challenger to Arsenal.
Arsenal, seeking a first league title since 2004, beat Burnley 2-0 on Saturday and now holds a six-point lead after 10 games.
Guardiola defends Donnarumma
While Donnarumma has impressed with his shot-stopping since joining from Paris Saint-Germain, a weakness in the Italy international’s game might be his punching from crosses.
In September, Donnarumma punched the ball into his own net when playing for Italy against Israel but that goal was ruled out after it was deemed an opposition player was fouling him.
On Sunday, Bournemouth captain David Brooks initially had a hold of Donnarumma’s left arm but let go before the goalkeeper attempted his punch.
City manager Pep Guardiola said it was “unbelievable” that the goal was allowed to stand.
“There are sometimes things that are difficult to understand why it was not disallowed,” he said.
Long wait over
West Ham’s fans had been waiting eight months for a home win in the Premier League.
They finally got it after their embattled team rallied to beat Newcastle 3-1 for just a second victory this season.
Jacob Murphy’s fourth-minute opener for Newcastle, which came seconds after Jarrod Bowen struck the post at the other end, failed to spark what proved to be a sluggish performance by the visitors.
Instead, West Ham grew more into the game and after Lucas Paqueta equalized in the 35th minute with a long-range shot that crept inside the near post, Newcastle defender Sven Botman stretched to block a cross but only succeeded in turning the ball into his own net in first-half stoppage time.
Substitute Tomas Soucek added a third for West Ham in second-half stoppage time.
West Ham’s last home win was against Leicester on Feb. 27.
The team stayed in the relegation zone but climbed above Nottingham Forest into third-to-last place. Forest was the only team West Ham had previously beaten this season.
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo had collected just one point from his first four games in charge after replacing Graham Potter.
