FULL-TIME: MAN CITY 2 WEST HAM 1
It was edgy, scrappy at times, but three more oints and another win. City may be grateful for this slog as they will have a few more in the coming weeks. Cheers for following.
FULL-TIME: MAN CITY 2 WEST HAM 1
Oof. Last-minute chance for West Ham but it spins past the post. That is 20 (twenty) wins on the trot for Manchester City. The world record is in their sights. It also takes them 13 points clear at the top of the EPL table, with their closest rivals still to play.
MAN CITY 2 WEST HAM 1
Fernandinho goes into the book for halting Lingard in full flight. Gundogan off and Rodri coming on. Four minutes to go.
MAN CITY 2 WEST HAM 1
City pinging it around the West Ham penalty area, pobing for that opening now. Moyes rings the changes with goalscorer Antonio and Ben Johnson off, with Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen on for a final push.
MAN CITY 2 WEST HAM 1
Oddly, there are still a few slack passes from City, something we have not seen for months. Maybe a little fatigue as they compete on four fronts, but they should have the depth to sope with such things. Something very few clubs can enjoy.
MAN CITY 2 WEST HAM 1
All City now as they look to kill the game in the final 15. They need to be wary of that West Ham break though as they are not shy in flowing forward in numbers. Mahrez is denied by a flying leg.
MAN CITY 2 WEST HAM 1
A concern now for City as Ederson is down as he collected a cross and fell awkwardly.
GOAL! MAN CITY 2 WEST HAM 1
And the pressure tells. Stones finds the ball at his feet at the edge of the area after a neat passing move and he sidefoots home past Randolph.
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 1
A slight hint of City ramping it up now as the begin to pin West Ham back
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 1
Jesus is on for Aguero. The Argentine will be happy with 60 minutes under the belt and no more injury worries, but I'm sure he will be frustrated at his lack of killer instinct in front of goal
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 1
Oh. So close to a second as De Bruyne gets on the end of a quick break after a dangerous West Ham attack, but his brilliant move and cut across the goal goes begging as there is no man in blue to slot home. Aguero ran to the near post when the back one was the open goal. It's getting a wee bitty end-to-end now.
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 1
The visitors have done a great job in keeping the City frontline quiet, but maybe it is time to bring on Sterling or Foden for Aguero, who has yet to threaten. Walker skids one harmlessly by the post.
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 1
Moment of concern for West Ham as keeper Randolph has his vision checked by the physio. Not sure what happened as did not see a knock. He will carry on for now. Fabianski is already out injured remember.
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 1
Indeed, Pep has the bench out warming up early in the second half, with Foden, Cancelo, Sterling and Jesus all going through their paces.
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 1
Here come the teams for the second half. Can West Ham keep up their impressive showing or will City find another gear? Perhaps Pep Guardiola will look to his super-deep bench soon.
HALF-TIME: MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 1
And that's the break. West Ham well deserving to go in level at the interval. Admirable play, standing up to City at their home and not allowing them to play their normal passing game. City's own uncharacteristic slack passing has not helped their cause.
GOAL! MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 1
Drama indeed! Game on as City uncharacteristically lose the ball and a cut-back finds its way to the back post and Antonio makes sure. That is more than 1,000 minutes since Ederson last let conceded an opposition goal from open play.
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 0
Here we go! West Ham are not sitting back and a great move up the right ends up in an equally great cross to Antonio. He spins and shoots but it pings out off the outside of the post. Plenty of footy drama still to come in this one, methinks.
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 0
City moving up the gears now, with Randolph being the busiest man in the game. A couple more forays come to nothing but the West Ham keeper has to be alert to thwart the City waves.
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 0
Randolph does his best Ederson impression by racing out of his box to clear yet another dangerous attack from City.
MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 0
Wow! Almost two as Torres fires from distance after robbing the ball from kick-off, but Randolph claims it in the West Ham goal.
GOAL! MAN CITY 1 WEST HAM 0
Brilliant ball in from De Bruyne finds the forehead of Dias at the back post and the home side have the lead.
MAN CITY 0 WEST HAM 0
West Ham's Johnson goes in the book for a cynical tug on Mahrez. He will need to be careful now as there is still a long way to go.
MAN CITY 0 WEST HAM 0
There's a stat you don't see often. City shots 0, West Ham shots 3!
MAN CITY 0 WEST HAM 0
As I write that, a looping, deflected ball in causes problems for Ederson in the winter sunshine. City scramble and eventually clear.
MAN CITY 0 WEST HAM 0
15 minutes in and fairly even-stevens so far. Ederson has not had much to do but a well-drilled West Ham defence is keeping it cool.
MAN CITY 0 WEST HAM 0
De Bruyne springs to life and dances into the box, his ball almost finds Torres, but he cannot get a shot away as West Ham close down.
MAN CITY 0 WEST HAM 0
West Ham have settled well and not looking out of their depth at all. Encouraging developments in recent times for the Hammers under Moyes.
MAN CITY 0 WEST HAM 0
A little scare as Ederson decides to pass it to Fernandinho at the edge of the area, but the big man gets it clear under pressure.
MAN CITY 0 WEST HAM 0
City quickly into their groove are their virtual crowqd roars them on at an empty Etihad.
MAN CITY 0 WEST HAM 0
Off we go again to kick-start a relentless week of EPL footy. Can City take another step towards the tile against West Ham?
MAN CITY v WEST HAM
West Ham are going well, they are second in points won in 2021 in the EPL. But this is going to be a real slog for them, especially if Aguero comes roaring back after a long lay-off. 20 mins to kick-off.
MAN CITY v WEST HAM
The big news for City fans is that Sergio Aguero starts for the home side in his first kick-off since October.
TEAM NEWS
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Ruben Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Ferran Torres, Aguero
Substitutes: Steffen, Sterling, Jesus, Laporte, Rodrigo, Bernardo Silva, Mendy, Cancelo, Foden
West Ham: Randolph, Coufal, Dawson, Diop, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Johnson, Fornals, Lingard, Antonio
Substitutes: Martin, Trott, Balbuena, Benrahma, Lanzini, Noble, Bowen, Odubeko
MAN CITY v WEST HAM
First up is a real challenge to West Ham’s European credentials as the head to the runaway league leaders City, who have won 19 (nineteen) games on the trot in all competitions.
“What Pep Guardiola has done at City is amazing this season after their bad start and they looked out of the running by November,” says Craig Leader, manager at Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights. “Most of the fans now accept who will win the league, but with Leicester and West Ham up there and big guns like Arsenal and Chelsea struggling, the top four is in for a busy week.”
There are three more games this evening after the clash at the Etihad. West Brom and Brighton meet in a relegation six pointer, before Leeds host Aston Villa and Newcastle take on Wolves.
Saturday’s fixtures
Man City v West Ham, 4.30pm
West Brom v Brighton, 7pm
Leeds v Aston Villa, 9.30pm
Newcastle v Wolves, midnight
Afternoon all. The Premier League is in for a bumper week with a full weekend card, followed by a chocka week with games on every day until some Friday respite. The title race could be a lot clearer this time next week if Manchester City can keep up their ridiculously impressive winning streak.
They are up first against a high-flying West Ham, who are enjoying life in the top four under David Moyes.
