West Ham vs Manchester City: The Inside Track

West Ham continues their Premier League campaign with a visit from Pep Guardiola’s title-chasing Manchester City.

City have had the number of West Ham in recent years, regularly putting multiple goals past the Hammers, especially at the London Stadium. To find out more about one of the best teams in the country, GSH spoke to Manchester City news site reporter J.C. Gonzalez from ‘Man City Square’ and Brandon Evans from ‘City Xtra‘ to get the inside track on the Citizens

1. For City’s standards, it has been a bad start to the season, what’s going been going?

MCS: That’s been a difficult question to answer even for City fans. Defensive issues were the obvious problem last season, but the team has looked really lethargic looking forward and has not scored goals at their usual levels in the absence of Sergio Agüero and Gabriel Jesus.

Some are pointing to Guardiola fatigue heading into year five, others chalking it up to nothing more than a host of injuries and a short pre-season.

CX: I’d say that a ‘bad start to the season’ is somewhat of an overstatement given that we’ve dropped the same amount of points as Liverpool, but our start to the season has been less than ideal. Our defensive issues have remained prevalent this term, with the left-back position again being the main culprit; Mendy has been poor so far this season, and whilst Cancelo is for me a better option at left-back, he is prone to a shocker as we saw on Wednesday night.

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Additionally, injuries have significantly affected our recent form, key players De Bruyne, Aguero and Laporte have all missed games and it should be noted that in the two games where we have dropped points, we were without a recognised striker, and the results of those matches would likely have been more favourable should either Aguero or Jesus have been available.

2. What are aims for the rest of the season?

MCS: City’s goals and expectations are essentially the same every year these days: win every trophy possible. This is the Guardiola mentality, and it has led to unrivalled domestic success. If they fail in any competition, they will be ridiculed on social media.

However, pre-Virgil Van Dijk’s injury I wasn’t sure City had what it took to put up another 90+ point campaign to challenge Liverpool and I definitely did not consider them Champions League favourites. The injury has lowered Liverpool to a standard where a host of teams can get in on a lowered bar for the title race, with City the obvious chief favourites among them.

CX: Each season, the club’s primary goals should be to win the Premier League and the Champions League, and this year will be no different. Whilst City emerging victorious in both competitions is, of course, unlikely, the aims of the club remain the same.

Last season derailed before September when Laporte was stretchered off against Brighton and injuries again look to be hindering us, but should we steer clear of injuries this term then it is feasible than we can regain the league title and hopefully progress beyond the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

3. What have you made of West Ham’s start to the season?

MCS: Thoroughly impressed, which if I was asked to make a Premier League predicted table before the season, I would not have been very high on West Ham’s prospects this year. I have never really rated David Moyes post-Everton, but that result against Spurs was something that made me jump out of my seat and yell at the TV, even as a neutral.

West Ham have a seriously talented squad, and perhaps this year they can finally put it all together.

CX: To be honest, I have been very surprised by West Ham’s successful start to the season. Before the campaign began, I assumed that the Irons would find themselves in a relegation fight by April but the thumping wins over Leicester and Wolves – two very good sides have changed my opinion of Moyes’ Boys, and I can see West Ham finishing comfortably in mid-table.

4. Who is City’s dangerman going into this match?

MCS: If Agüero stays fit and finds his form, it’s tough to look past him. Even if he is older now and in the final year of his contract, the team has not looked the same in the absence of a true striker.

His positioning and pure finishing ability is unparalleled in this team and is one of this league’s all-time greats because of just that.

CX: Considering his form, I would say that Raheem Sterling is City’s biggest threat for Saturday’s game. Sterling has scored 35 goals in all competitions since the start of last season – more than any other Premier League player and considering his impressive record against West Ham, he is our dangerman.

5. What weaknesses can the Hammers exploit?

MCS: In City’s two title-winning years, the midfield was the strength of the team. Fernandinho was able to sweep up everything in front of the backline, but with his advanced age, he cannot perform that role anymore.

Rodri is a good player, but teams have figured out that he cannot cover ground in that same vein, and that running at him with pace can cause problems on the break. Ben Mendy should not be fit enough to play, which may be a blessing in disguise as he was absolutely exposed in all of City’s first three league matches.

CX: The left-side of our defence. Mendy and Cancelo are far from reliable defensively, and if I were David Moyes, I would look to focus attacks down the right-wing when possible. Both full-backs bomb forward leaving us susceptible to counter-attacks and when Rodri gets dragged out wide, the defence tends to momentarily capitulate.

6. Which West Ham player or players worry you the most?

MCS: My answer would not have been Manuel Lanzini before that strike, but like, wow. In all seriousness, Pablo Fornals is a player I’ve rated for some time who was a bright spot for West Ham last season and has really shined this year and grabbed the attention of the rest of the league.

Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio are the types of players that can do some real damage, and I’m also a huge Declan Rice fan. Moreover, if Saïd Benrahma is properly integrated before the match, he will cause major issues, as he has Riyad Mahrez-type technical ability and goalscoring prowess. West Ham are seriously talented, it’s just putting it all together.

CX: Tomas Soucek. Moyes has found his new Fellaini, and to be honest the prospect of either Garcia or Ake marking the Czech international alarms me. Soucek has managed 14 shots so far this season – more than any City player, and although he is yet to find the back of the net this season, I do not doubt that it is a matter of time until he does.

7. A few players have turned out for both West Ham and City like Tevez and Hart, but which player is your favourite to play for both and why?

MCS: The cop-out answer is one of Tevez or Hart, but it’s hard to look past them. Hart is an undisputed City legend, part of the Vincent Kompany–David Silva-Sergio Agüero era that first saw this team rise to the top of English football. Tevez is my personal pick, however, as he was a childhood hero of mine.

It wasn’t a long or very successful spell in East London, but Samir Nasri is still largely beloved by City fans, including myself. I’ll also throw in a cheeky Frank Lampard shout, our “City legend” (I say that as sarcastically as possible), but I loved having him at the club and the feeling seemed mutual, and he gave us one of the most awkward moments in football history with that goal against Chelsea.

West Ham are a top club, and it was very hard to pick from players that have played for both sides. My absolute favourite, a one-word answer? Tevez.

CX: For me, when considering his contributions to both clubs, it must be Carlos Tevez. In his prime, Tevez was a top-class striker and a joy to watch, and I understand that he is fondly remembered in East London for his part in saving West Ham from relegation many years ago.

The Argentine also captained City to our first trophy in 35 years when we lifted the FA Cup in 2011 and he is an important figure in our recent history. Furthermore, the infamous ‘Welcome to Manchester’ billboard is simply iconic.

8. What’s your match prediction?

MCS: It will be a difficult match; West Ham are confident, in good form, and will never believe they are out of the game. City will play against Porto in the Champions League in midweek, probably will be without Kevin De Bruyne, and will travel to the London Stadium.

All the pressure is on City in this match to get a result and get a title challenge on track while looking good doing it. Their win over Arsenal was shaky, and City could have had 0 points from the first three league matches had Wolves finished more clinically and Ederson not produced heroics to keep the Leeds match level.

West Ham are playing with house money after their result against Spurs, and know the blueprint of how to beat this City team: sit deep, defend in numbers, lull City into horizontal passing an endless possession before striking on a deadly counter-attack for 1-0 on their first shot of the match.

CX: Considering the superior quality of Pep’s side, City should have no problem in dispatching the Hammers, although I will be surprised to see us leave London with a clean sheet given our defensive woes and West Ham’s goalscoring form.

9. Score Prediction?

MCS: Tough call, but I’ll go 3-1 City in a more difficult match than the scoreline would indicate.

CX: 3-1 to City.