Man City vs West Ham Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Manchester City finally got another win against Leicester City last weekend but they were unconvincing in doing so. They now face a West Ham side capable of being sliced apart at will.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 4th January, 2025: UK – 3:00pm / US ET – 10:00am / US PT – 7:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – Peacock
Man City Preview: Good Cityzens
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have managed just two victories in their last 14 matches across all competitions but that second win did come in their most recent outing as they defeated Leicester City by two goals to nil thanks to goals from Savio and Erling Haaland.
City have collapsed in the Premier League table and things have gone awry all over the pitch for the Cityzens with Guardiola unable to hide the pressure he must feel. They will hope last weekend can be a boost as they head into the New Year, though.
West Ham Preview: Searching for an identity
West Ham United, with former Spain boss Julen Lopetegui at the helm, have created a squad where the ‘floor’ means they will always be in mid-table and avoid a relegation battle but that means being in mid-table is due to a mismanagement of the squad.
The pressure has been on Lopetegui throughout this season as the shapeless and identity-less Hammers try and string enough results together. They scraped past bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Boxing Day before suffering a 5-0 loss at home to Liverpool a few days later.
Man City Team News: Similar situation
Pep Guardiola has said that the current injury situation at Manchester City is similar to last weekend. They have a few definite absentees such as Ruben Dias, Rodri and Oscar Bobb with John Stones and Matheus Nunes also likely to be unavailable. Ederson has been able to train without pain for the first time since picking up his injury.
Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic; Foden, De Bruyne, Silva, Savio; Haaland
Unavailable: Dias (Injured), Rodri (Injured), Bobb (Injured)
Questionable: Stones (Injured), Nunes (Injured)
West Ham Team News: Bowen’s New Year injury
Lukasz Fabianski suffered a head injury on Boxing Day and the former Poland international remains unavailable as he continues to follow head injury protocol. Jarrod Bowen has suffered a fractured foot and is expected to be out for a couple of months at least.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez; Kudus, Paqueta, Summerville; Fullkrug
Unavailable: Fabianski (Concussion), Bowen (Injured), Antonio (Injured)
Questionable:
Man City vs West Ham Prediction
Manchester City did manage a win last weekend but even with a comfortable scoreline, it was still an unconvincing performance that saw Leicester, and Jamie Vardy in particular, pass up a couple of brilliant opportunities to equalise with the score at 1-0. They do, though, face a West Ham United side that have been torn to shreds by the better sides in the Premier League this season with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all provoking boos at the London Stadium and a comfortable City win is to be expected at the Etihad Stadium.
Man City vs West Ham Tip: Man City to win -1 handicap
