West Ham need to strike Man City while the iron is hot

Yesterday it was announced that Manchester City have been banned from competing in‌ the Champions League for two seasons after they were found guilty by UEFA of breaching Financial Fair Play ruling ahead of their match with West Ham.

With West Ham’s upcoming match coming against the reigning Premier League champions next Wednesday, it is now a fantastic opportunity for the Hammers to take advantage of Man City’s vulnerable predicament and come away from the Etihad stadium with an unlikely point or three.

There have also been murmurs that the Premier League will follow suit and punish the Citizens by the means of a points deduction, although nothing concrete has yet been confirmed.

While City have a right to appeal the decision made by UEFA, at this moment in time – with Liverpool out of sight at the summit of the league table – it is difficult to see what they are now competing for.

Of course, it is impossible to know how Pep Guardiola and his players have reacted to this situation, and by all likelihood as a born-winner, Pep will have tried to maintain a positive vibe within camp as they now know that they have an uphill battle on their hands, both on the pitch as well as off it. That being said, there is little doubt that it will take a lot of motivation for the Sky Blue’s to shake the feeling of disappointment off after such an impactful decision.

After the original fixture for this game had been postponed due to stormy weather, along with this new-found distraction in the Man City camp, West Ham may well have been dealt a perfect hand from the God’s, and it is now up to them to oblige and hit the jackpot.

The Hammers find themselves in the dreaded relegation zone, one point behind 17th placed Aston Villa, and are in dire need of a change of fortunes, with just one victory since the turn of the year. This clash with City in Manchester is just the start of an intimidating set of fixtures, as the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham eagerly await an out-of-form Irons side in upcoming games.

If David Moyes and his men were to take advantage of City’s strange scenario and come back home to East London with a positive result, it could well prove the turning point that they need to get themselves out of the mess that they find themselves in. Not only that, but it is a test of Moyes’ credentials as a manager, especially at a time when an abundance of fans are beginning to lose whatever faith they may have had in him.

There is no doubt that Man City are still overwhelming favorites for the match, simply due to the wealth of talent that they have at their disposal, but if there was ever a time to play them and potentially catch them off guard, it is right now.