After Pep Guardiola’s latest mea culpa – “I blame myself, not the players,” he said on Friday – Manchester City claimed a commanding second straight win and a third straight game without defeat for the first time since late October.

According to the manager’s own logic, he takes credit for a win, adorned by Savinho’s performance including two assists and capped by Erling Haaland’s second goal of the afternoon. The Brazilian received the ball in midfield and fed the Norwegian, whose slalom run was as elegant as the chip over an onrushing Alphonse Areola.

After 55 minutes it was 3-0 and the fourth goal soon came. A defensive horror show near the visitors’ goal allowed Kevin De Bruyne to take the lead, he passed the ball to Phil Foden and from close range Areola was beaten again, bringing joy and relief to the champions who each time holed the ball Holes from Julen got Lopetegui’s unit attacked.

After Foden’s goal, the ecstatic home fans taunted the Spaniard with the standard Guardiola has seen of late: “You’ll be sacked tomorrow morning.” Harsh perhaps, given the Hammers’ profligacy, but after the 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool, that’s how football works .

Guardiola will be happy about the win rather than the fact that the main reason for City’s recent slump – ease of play – remains intact. When there was a fight for the ball in the middle third, a white jersey often won the 50-50, and Crysencio Summerville or Mohammed Kudus stormed down their wings to spread the champions apart. Kudus did this twice in the first half in attacks on the right, but he and Tomas Soucek missed the chances.

Guardiola had spoken of luck in Sunday’s 2-0 win at Leicester, and City were lucky here too, namely Vladimir Coufal’s opening goal with an own goal. Savinho ran through a left channel and crossed, the ball came back to him and his second attempt bounced off the right-back and beat Areola.

Savinho was a whirlwind, closing down Areola, drawing applause from Guardiola, constantly tormenting Coufal or popping up on the right, as he did at a corner alongside De Bruyne and Foden, to create a numerical advantage.

Guardiola lined up his men in a 4-1-4-1, making it easy to solve the way they were screened: pull Bernardo Silva or De Bruyne back from their central spots to play alongside Mateo Kovacic to act and prevent him and the rearguard from being overrun.

Poor ball management was also evident. A miscommunication between De Bruyne and Haaland led to Lucas Paquetá losing possession, who shot narrowly wide, while City were comically wide open at times, as Niclas Füllkrug’s consolation goal in the 71st minute showed.

Paquetá distributed the play to the left, Soucek crossed and the center forward swept in. The goal left Guardiola fuming – possibly directed at Kyle Walker, who came on as a substitute – and there were further concerns when Stefan Ortega required treatment. But when 39-year-old Scott Carson considered a very rare appearance, the German goalkeeper recovered.

It was a story of missed opportunities earlier, particularly before the break. A toe kick from Haaland rolled the ball to Silva, who struck at Areola’s legs; The Portuguese then combined with Rico Lewis to send the No.9 through, but he was thwarted by the rearguard. After a shot from Lewis sent Areola flying to the right to save, a chance was finally taken.

This was City’s outstanding attacking play: Foden ran the ball left to Savinho, who ran past his marker and swept in a cross that prompted Haaland to jump and aim for his first goal. That was his second time in two games and the question now was whether City would kill the East London club or let them back into the game.

As for the second part, the answer was initially yes, as a Coufal tester warmed Ortega’s fingertips before City took over. Nevertheless, Summerville’s collapse towards the end – he slipped and shot over the goal – showed once again how effervescent Guardiola’s team is in defence.

Salford City are in the FA Cup on Saturday, meaning they are certainly assured of a third win in a row.