Football news - Raheem Sterling hits stunning hat-trick as Manchester City thrash West Ham

Manchester City cruised to an emphatic 5-0 victory over West Ham in their Premier League clash at London Stadium to begin their title defence in style.

The reigning Premier League champions began the game knowing that victory was needed to keep up with last season’s rivals Liverpool, who routed Norwich City 4-1 on Friday evening.

They began with new signings Rodri - in midfielder - and Joao Cancelo - on the bench, while West Ham gave a Premier League debut to striker Sebastian Haller.

The game was evenly poised until midway through the half when Gabriel Jesus fired in Kyle Walker’s cross to put the away side ahead.

In the second half, City quickly doubled their lead through Raheem Sterling, but Jesus thought he had made it three two minutes later only for VAR to disallow goal for a tight offside.

West Ham continued to search for goals, but Ederson pulled off an excellent double save before City ended the match in fine fashion. Sterling scored two more to grab a hat-trick, either side of a Sergio Aguero penalty, to round off the drubbing.

Despite the gammon-hued string of complaints about VAR, here it only intruded when goals needed to be struck off or penalties needed to be retaken. Sterling’s disallowed goal might have only been a fraction offside, but the rules of the game are clear. Today at least was a good example of VAR doing its job.

A hat-trick appeared to be denied when Aguero grabbed the penalty to kickstart his own season, but he was gifted a third by Lukasz Fabianski’s slack ‘keeping. He looks to have improved over the summer and looks set to rival Mo Salah for this season’s top scorer award.

West Ham: Fabianski 6, Fredericks 6, Balbuena 6, Diop 6, Cresswell 6, Rice 6, Wilshere 6, Lanzini 6, Antonio 5, Anderson 6, Haller 6. Subs: Fornals 6, Snodgrass 6, Herrnandez 6.

Man City: Ederson 7, Walker 7, Stones 7, Laporte 7, Zinchenko 7, Rodrigo 5, Silva 7, De Bruyne 7, Mahrez 8, Sterling 9, Jesus 7. Subs: Gundogan 6, Aguero 7, Foden 6.

25’ - GOAL! West Ham 0-1 Manchester City. Jesus scores - Walker sprints down the right to chase a through ball, he drives in a cross to the near post, and Jesus sprints ahead of Diop to flick it in at the near post.

51’ - GOAL! West Ham 0-2 Manchester City. Sterling scores - City win it in midfield, Mahrez plays it ahead into the path of De Bruyne, who lays it off to the left for Sterling, inspace, and he drills it past Fabianski.

75’ - GOAL! West Ham 0-3 Manchester City. Sterling scores - Sterling brings down a superb pass from Mahrez over the top of the defence and lifts it over the 'keeper.

83’ - PENALTY! Mahrez dinks the ball around Diop who clatters him to the ground.

84’ - MISS! West Ham 0-3 Manchester City. Aguero misses - A low, slow penalty and Fabianski leaps off his line to beat it away... but it will have to be taken again as Fabianksi jumps off his line.

86’ - GOAL! West Ham 0-4 Manchester City. Aguero scores - At the second attempt, Aguero smashes a well hit shot to his left to make it four.

90+5’ - GOAL! West Ham 0-5 Manchester City. Sterling scores - Sterling gets his hat-trick after being rolled in down the inside right, and Fabianksi leaves him yards of room at the near post to stroke it home.