Manchester City turning the corner

Erling Haaland and Manchester City might be turning the corner after the team’s worst run of results under Pep Guardiola. Haaland, pictured, scored twice in a 4-1 win over West Ham as City secured back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time since late October. In between, the defending champions played nine league games and won just once, dropping them out of the Champions League qualification spots. The 2-0 win at Leicester last weekend was unconvincing but there were better signs against West Ham, not least with Haaland looking sharp in front of goal. The Norway striker headed in Savinho’s cross to make it 2-0 in the 42nd minute and chipped the goalkeeper for 3-0 in the 55th after running onto another pass from Savinho. Either side, there was an own-goal and a strike from Phil Foden before Niclas Fullkrug pulled one back for West Ham. Guardiola wasn’t getting carried away with the upturn in results, saying City’s performances were still “not at our standards.” “It is happier to win but we are still not like we were, for different reasons,” he said.

James adds another milestone

LeBron James broke Michael Jordan’s NBA record for 30-point games during the Lakers’ victory over the Hawks on Friday night. With a turnaround jumper with 5:58 to play for the last of his 30 points, James reached at least 30 points in the regular season for the 563rd time in his career, surpassing the mark established by Jordan in 2003. Jordan set his record in 1,072 games over 15 seasons, while James surpassed it in his 1,523rd appearance over 22 seasons. “It’s very humbling,” James said. “Anytime I’m mentioned with any of the greats, and arguably the greatest ever to play the game, super-cool. It’s someone I idolized in my childhood, and I wear 23 because of him. So to know that I can sit here and be in the room or in the conversation or whatever it is, you mention MJ, it’s like super-duper dope for me, being a kid where I’m from.” James turned 40 last week, and he is among the few remaining active players who personally witnessed Jordan in his 1990s prime with the Bulls. He studied and admired Jordan during his childhood in Akron, Ohio.

PGA moves to change FedEx finale

Commissioner Jay Monahan, pictured, wasn’t kidding when he told the PGA Tour staff in his year-end message that “everything was on the table.” That includes what could be another massive overhaul at the Tour Championship to determine the FedEx Cup champion. How soon it happens — and what it looks like — is part of a study that ultimately will require PGA Tour board approval. And like everything else, getting everyone on the same page might be the biggest obstacle. “I’d like to see something the players are excited about and the fans are excited about,” said Patrick Cantlay, one of six players on the board. “There has been some talks around it, but nothing definitive.” Two PGA Tour officials said several concepts are still under discussion as officials review what effect it would have on everything from television to corporate hospitality at East Lake to finding the best way to reward the top performer. One person directly involved in studying the various concepts said none has been brought to the Players Advisory Council. “I just think it’s important to have an open mind,” Cantlay said. —AP