With the ball in the back of the net and West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on the floor, Erling Haaland turned and pointed out towards Manchester City’s left wing. Bernardo Silva put his hands on his head and swivelled in the same direction in disbelief.
Standing there on that flank, wearing a huge smile, was Savinho.
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Moments earlier, the Brazilian had twisted Vladimir Coufal inside and out, sitting the Czech Republic full-back on the floor before delivering a whipped cross that flew over the West Ham defence onto Haaland’s head. The striker gratefully nodded into an open goal. It was the 14th time Haaland has scored with his head in the Premier League, more than any other player since he joined City in the summer of 2022, and one of the most straightforward of them.
It is no secret that Haaland has not been his destructive self since that excellent spell of early season form that brought 10 goals in his opening five league matches. As the champions’ collective unit has struggled with defensive fragility at the heart of midfield in the long-term absence of an injured Rodri, Haaland seemed to have misplaced his shooting boots at the top end of the pitch.
Yes, City’s issues run deeper than their world-class striker failing to score goals, but had he not lost that clinical touch, their deficiencies would have been at least partially masked.
According to City manager Pep Guardiola, that was the difference in their 4-1 home win against West Ham on Saturday.
“We saw, over eight years, our (true) level. We are not at our level (this season),” Guardiola said in the post-match press conference. “We won — we are so happy because it will help us, but our performance was not good. They deserved to be 0-1 and 0-2 (ahead), and we were lucky with the first goal.”
While City’s opener was undoubtedly fortunate, with Savinho’s driven cross towards Haaland being turned in inadvertently by Coufal, it signalled the start of the Brazilian’s finest afternoon at the Etihad Stadium since joining from fellow City Football Group side Troyes of France in the summer, in a transfer worth up to €40million (£33.2m; $41.2m).
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Having watched Savinho open his City account in the 2-0 win over Leicester on December 29, Guardiola started him on the left wing again against West Ham — reprising the role he occupied most frequently on loan at Girona last season as the Catalan club finished a surprise fourth in La Liga. From the start, the 20-year-old had the beating of Coufal, who failed to live with his dribbling ability and pace, with the pressure eventually telling as his marker scored that own goal in the 10th minute.
Savinho’s most effective contributions came on either side of half-time. He created two golden goalscoring opportunities for Haaland, who appeared to relish having a natural winger operating on the left side of the team.
“Having a left foot on the left side like old, vintage football, helps the strikers we have,” said Guardiola. “The second (goal) at Leicester and today, we had two or three (chances created). Now we have something special and brilliant that helps the team. (Savinho) scored a goal, which was a little lucky, but after the two brilliant assists — the second and third are really, really good — I’m so happy for him. He deserves to play.”
For the first of Savinho’s two assists, Haaland was central to the move, bouncing Rico Lewis’ pass into the path of Phil Foden, who had drifted into space from the right wing near the halfway line. Savinho, as is customary for Guardiola wingers, stayed on the left touchline and Foden instinctively played a crossfield pass, leaving him alone with Coufal.
Without Josko Gvardiol in support on the overlap, the opportunity to attack the West Ham defence might have died on Savinho’s touch if he was right-footed. Instead, he took Coufal outside and glanced into the box, inviting Haaland to make a back-post run. His delivery was perfect — early, whipped and high. Precisely the service on which the Norwegian thrives.
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Haaland’s second goal was typical of Guardiola’s City. Savinho capitalised from a breakdown in play to attack the opposition defence through the middle and slide in his striker, who finished confidently, deftly lifting a shot over the approaching Areola.
What’s most exciting, however, is that this is just the start for Savinho and City.
It is easy to forget, given he is already a full Brazil international with experience playing for football’s most prestigious nation at the Copa America last summer, that he doesn’t turn 21 until April.
While he adjusts to a new language and culture off the field after the move from Ligue 1 via Spain, he is challenged with making the grade under Guardiola, one of the sport’s most demanding coaches, while the team he has joined navigates the most difficult stretch of the head coach’s nine-year tenure.
Having been switched in and out of the line-up in multiple positions, it is natural that the youngster has taken some time to see his sparkling potential — and there may yet be moments in the weeks ahead where his form tails off again.
But right now, Savinho is producing in a City shirt.
Crucially, it might be the trick to bringing out the best in Haaland, who can mask the outgoing title holders’ persistent defensive frailties until a more permanent solution to them is found.
GO DEEPER
The Briefing: Manchester City 4 West Ham 1 - Haaland strikes twice and Savinho stars, but defence still looks fragile
(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
