Premier League: City Slickers Plan and East End Knees Up!

West Ham United vs Manchester City

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City head to the East End of London on Saturday, where they will meet West Ham United in a tasty tea-time clash.

The people of Canning Town and Blackwall love a party and they are famous for the warmth of their welcome. But the Hammers’ friendliness will be put on hold for a couple of hours when Premier League: West Ham vs Manchester City takes centre stage.

Julen Lopetegui has arrived as West Ham’s boss with a weight of expectation on his shoulders, and the Hammers come into the game on the back of an impressive 2-0 win away to Crystal Place. Meanwhile, City beat Ipswich Town 4-1.

With West Ham vs Manchester City betting odds of 1.35 in favour of Guardiola’s team, the Citizens are hot favourites to make it three wins from three. 

Can the Hammers stop the Sky Blues and spoil their trip to the East End? You know what? I think they’ll give it a good go … but Pep will be smiling when the battle is done. 

 

Talking Points

Captain Bowen leads the way

The Hammers were looking for a first league win of 2024/25 when they travelled to South London to face Crystal Palace, and goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen made it a successful trip all round. Czech star Soucek opened the scoring with a scruffy goal which ricocheted into the net after an almighty scramble. Bowen’s goal, on the other hand, was a classic, as he moved the ball onto his left foot before hitting a sweet strike into the corner of the net.

Now at 27, Bowen has been with West Ham for four years and the winger has scored an impressive 44 goals in 161 appearances. He’s a quick, skilful and direct player—the type which gives full-backs nightmares—and his top class distribution provides countless opportunities for his teammates (new arrival Niclas Fullkrug will be licking his lips).

He gives his all for the cause and has even played as a centre forward when needed, and Lopetegui has given Bowen the captain’s armband this season. 

In other West Ham news, and at the other end of the pitch, there will be an exit from the club this week as centre back Kurt Zouma looks to be on his way to Al-Orouba in the Saudi Pro League. The defender was hoping to go the United Arab Emirates but he failed a medical so the 29-year-old has moved on to Saudi.

With Greek centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos—alongside new arrival Max Kilman at the heart of defence and Nayef Aguerd also in the defensive unit—West Ham have quality at both ends of the pitch, and, although there may be more movement in the market, it will not be seismic.       

 

Ilkay’s return could be pivotal to more City success

Manchester City won their fourth consecutive Premier League title last year but they were pushed all the way by Arsenal. Many fans and pundits in the North West pointed to the departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona as a weakening of the Sky Blues’ set up.

His leadership skills along with his all-round midfield prowess, energy and creative muscle led Guardiola to say Gundogan was one of the best players he had ever worked with. The German star was Pep’s first signing at Manchester City and he eventually made him captain; Gundogan became the heartbeat of the most successful English side in recent history.

His surprise move back to the Etihad last week was met with universal approval on the Blue side of Manchester and Gundogan received a standing ovation when he climbed off the bench during City’s destruction of Ipswich Town.

His return has given the club an early lift, and he will fit seamlessly back into the Sky Blues’ star-studded line-up. Erling Haaland was at his destructive best against the Tractor Boys whilst current captain Kevin De Bruyne scored a goal and made an assist; and new signing Savinho has made an electric start at the Etihad.

Guardiola might make one more move in the market as he has lost Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid and he needs some cover for Haaland.       

 

History

With 35 wins to 11, the Sky Blues have bossed the head-to-head West Ham vs Manchester City results in the Premier League era, and they have won the last four, doing the double last season with a 3-1 win at home and away.

The Etihad game was the final match of last season when a brace from Phil Foden and a goal from Rodri won the league for the Sky Blues for the fourth campaign in succession.    

 

Betting Tip

The Hammers are at SBOTOP Premier League 2024 odds of 6.08 to win this match or 4.61 to draw, with the Double Chance: West Ham or Draw priced at 2.83. Bowen and his team will give their all, but Manchester City have started impressively and will have three more points firmly in their sights.

   

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