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MCI vs WHU
English Premier League
Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Manchester City
vs
West Ham
4
FT
1
Action
Lineups
All
Facts Only
All
Full-Time: 4 - 1
Thanks for joining me here on Tribe as Erling Haaland’s brace helped Manchester City comfortably see off West Ham United to open 2025 in winning style: I hope you’ve enjoyed our coverage: I’ve been Rory Morrow, and I look forward to seeing you again soon for another live text commentary!
Up Next - A week’s rest for Manchester City before they host League Two outfit, Salford City, here in the FA Cup’s third round next Saturday evening. West Ham commence their Cup journey by travelling to Aston Villa the night before, for an all-Premier-League tie.
West Ham will have easier weeks, you feel. Battered by Liverpool to end 2024, they open their New Year in defeat. Despite the scoreline, they actually played a lot of good stuff today but their chances fell to the wrong men in the first half. Once City scored, West Ham's defence was exposed repeatedly with Areola making a couple of smart saves to keep the score down. Fullkrug, up front, took his chance well and Summerville was always a threat on the left. Still, considerable improvements are needed if manager, Julen Lopetegui is to inspire to a consistent upturn in form.
Just what the hosts will have wanted, really. A win to open 2025 and a convincing one, at that. Whilst Man City's defensive deficiencies definitely still remain, it matters not when the attack clicks as it did this afternoon. Savinho, a summer signing, produced arguably his best game in the Premier League so far with poor old Coufal unlucky for the own goal but desperately outdone by Savinho's nifty footwork for the second. Foden also looked back to his best, clinically adding a fourth and decorating the match with a couple of lovely diagonal passes. Tougher tests lie ahead, for sure, but this is a victory that Man City will gladly take, for now.
SUCCESSIVE WINS FOR MANCHESTER CITY AS SAVINHO STARS - All over at the Etihad Stadium where champions, Manchester City have shown their class to overpower West Ham United this afternoon. After the visitors wasted a couple of early openings, some Savinho wizardry made the first goal as his shot deflected off Coufal to go in. City cranked the intensity up after that as Silva and Lewis were denied by goalkeeper, Areola. Savinho then recorded an actual assist with a super, swirling cross that Haaland nodded in. The same pair linked up for goal number three when a lovely run from Savinho was matched by a fine pass, Haaland finishing it off. De Bruyne teed up Foden for a fourth but West Ham finished strongly, creating chances and eventually getting one back through Fullkrug. In the end, though, a comfortable win for City.
90+6'
Gundogan, centrally, rolls the ball to Grealish. He gives it to De Bruyne, underlapping, but he's crowded out in the penalty box by Mavropanos and Coufal, the former managing to clear from deep inside his own defensive final third.
90+4'
Guilherme, pressing down the right, gets past Lewis but not Gvardiol on the left-hand-edge of the penalty area as the latter hoofs the danger clear for the home team.
90+2'
CHANCE - Nearly number five. Foden creates it with a fantastic dribble, coming inside off that right-hand-berth, and reaching the edge of the box. Foden shuffles the ball over to Grealish, who works an inch of space to shoot. He pounds a powerful effort only just over the crossbar!
90+1'
De Bruyne frees Lewis, eating up ground rapidly in midfield as he dances through the centre circle. He knocks it left to Grealish who can't quite get the better of Coufal, as City have to make do with an attacking throw-in down the left.