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Attendance: 56,980
West Ham logo
Premier League
Feb 1, 2017 at 7.45pm UK
 
Manchester City logo

0-4

FT(HT: 0-3)
De Bruyne (17'), Silva (21'), Jesus (39'), Toure (67' pen.)

Live Commentary: West Ham United 0-4 Manchester City - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live coverage of Manchester City's 4-0 victory over West Ham United in the Premier League.
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Manchester City have eased to a 4-0 victory over West Ham United in the Premier League.

Goals from Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Gabriel Jesus and Yaya Toure ensured that their side moved to within a point of second-place Tottenham Hotspur.

The Hammers were desperately poor in front of their own supporters as they failed to extend their two-match winning streak.

Read below to see how the action unfolded at the London Stadium.


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Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between West Ham United and Manchester City.

With the transfer window now shut, most managers up and down the country can now get back to focusing in improving their team's position in their retrospective league but for both Slaven Bilic and Pep Guardiola, it was a quiet final day with their squads already up to their satisfaction. It remains to be seen whether either boss will regret not adding another new face but now, they will only care about how their side plays tonight at the London Stadium.

While the majority of teams played last night, there are still six clubs to feature this evening. Of course, we have this game in East London but Manchester United and Stoke City also play host to Hull City and Everton respectively. We will look to keep you up-to-date on any developments in those fixtures as the night goes on.

Anyway, without further ado, let's crack on with the team news. Sergio Aguero had been declared fit for Manchester City but has he made the starting lineup...

WEST HAM UNITED XI Randolph, Byram, Reid, Fonte, Cresswell, Obiang, Noble, Feghouli, Lanzini, Antonio, Carroll

WEST HAM UNITED SUBSTITUTES: Adrian, Collins, Fernandes, Quina, Snodgrass, Fletcher, Calleri

MANCHESTER CITY XI: Caballero, Sagna, Otamendi, Stones, Kolarov, Yaya Toure, Silva, Sterling, De Bruyne, Jesus, Sane

MANCHESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Bravo, Kompany, Delph, Aguero, Zabaleta, Navas, Fernandinho

Let's start with the easy bit. West Ham make just the one change from their 3-1 victory away at Middlesbrough, with Jose Fonte being handed his debut in the centre of defence in place of the injured Angelo Ogbonna. It comes as no surprise that Bilic keeps faith with the rest of his players after they returned from the North-East with maximum points.

Now then, do we start at the back or in attack? Despite failing to impress since signing for City in the summer, Claudio Bravo has remained between the sticks for Premier League fixtures but tonight, Guardiola has selected Willy Caballero. It's the first time he has started a league game since August 28 - also against West Ham. Now onto the attack...

As mentioned, Aguero had been declared fit for this fixture but Guardiola has opted to hand a first Premier League start to Gabriel Jesus. Leroy Sane also keeps his place in what is an extremely offensive lineup. It appears that David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne will partner Yaya Toure in the centre of the park, with Fernandinho and Fabian Delph having to make do with a place on the bench.

It didn't come as much of a surprise when Gabriel Jesus featured from the start against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, but it does given he is making his second appearance in the side in the space of four days. Many expected him to go through a bedding-in process after arriving from Brazil but Guardiola has showed that he has no problem in thrusting him straight into the team. The questions will inevitably be asked about Aguero's non-selection, but I'm pretty sure it will be fitness-related.

West Ham fans will know by now that they are going to have to wait until later in the match to see Robert Snodgrass. The Scot has been in fine form for Hull City this season and providing that he stays fit, he can only improve a Hammers attack which seems to be coping with the much-publicised departure of Dimitri Payet.

HEAD TO HEAD! Tonight's match represents the 105th time in which these two teams have faced other in a competitive match, with West Ham winning 37 times in comparison to City's 50 victories. The past six matches have generally been closely-fought, with City winning on three occasions and the Hammers twice. We all know what happened in the most recent contest...

After each of the top four in the table failed to win last night, the door has been left open for both City and Manchester United to make close the gap. Despite all the criticism that has gone their way, City will be just a point behind second-place Spurs should they prevail against West Ham. Maybe Pep Guardiola isn't doing all too bad after all...?

It appears that there have been a few light-hearted exchanges between the two teams on social media throughout the day. Looks like the Man City team bus was late to the London Stadium. What is it about Manchester clubs and coaches being late...?



Some will have you believe that West Ham haven't gotten value money out of Andy Carroll but despite his lack of appearances, he has still scored five goals in the Premier League this season, three of which have come in his last two outings. He is scoring once every 115 minutes in the league and that's on par with the very best in the division. Another goal tonight would only improve that ratio.

PREDICTION! Man City ran out 5-0 winners at this ground at the start of 2017, but we expect a much closer scoreline at just after 9.30pm, BST. Both teams are on a high after their last results and we are going to go for a 2-2 draw.

The two teams have made their way out at the London Stadium. We will be underway in just a couple of minutes.

The game in East London has begun.

CHANCE! It doesn't take long for City to win the first corner of the match and it almost leads to a goal. The set piece found Sterling on the edge of the area and his first-time strike came within inches of finding the corner.

SHOT! West Ham go straight up the other end and create a chance through Antonio, but despite turning on the edge of the penalty area, his low drive was comfortably saved by Caballero.

This match is warming up nicely. A long ball released Antonio down the left and he seems to have the beating of the City defence. He is too far out to provide any threat on goal but the Hammers are trying to get him involved at the earliest opportunity.

It's still very early days but I can see City being over-run in midfield unless they change something. They don't look comfortable at the moment and West Ham are having the lion's share of possession.

Noble is extremely lucky to avoid a yellow card for a meaty challenge on Sterling on the edge of the area but the free kick is in Kolarov territory.

In the end, it's a poor effort from the Serbian. His free kick beats the wall but it hits Noble, who deflects it wide for a corner. The resulting set piece comes to nothing.

GOAL! West Ham United 0-1 Manchester City (De Bruyne)

West Ham have been the better side but a mistake from Cresswell contributes to City taking the lead. The left-back misplaced a pass on the halfway line and after De Bruyne played the ball to Jesus, the Brazilian played it straight back to his teammate who fired into the corner from 16 yards. An excellent goal but all of West Ham's own doing.

BOOKINGS! Obiang goes into the book for bringing down Sterling on the edge of the area. Jesus follows him for waving an imaginary yellow card.

GOAL! West Ham United 0-2 Manchester City (Silva)

I may have spoken too soon about City struggling with this formation...

Sane nutmegs Bryam before getting the better of Fonte in the penalty area, which leads to him crossing low across the box for Silva to fire into the net from close range. City are absolutely rampant.


BOOKING! Lanzini goes into the book for a needless foul in the City half. He already looks a frustrated figure.

CHANCE! City could easily run out 5-0 winners against West Ham for the second time in less than four weeks. Sane and Silva combine before the Spaniard floats the ball to Sterling at the back post, but his header from eight yards goes wide of the near post.

This is turning into a stroll for Guardiola's men. West Ham haven't had any answer to their attacking play for the last 15 minutes or so. Snodgrass is already out warming up.

CHANCE! I'm not sure what Cresswell was trying to do here, but he should have done better. A fine ball from Carroll releases the left-back on goal but despite teeing himself up, he sent the ball high over Caballero's head and over the crossbar.

Carroll is proving to be a real handful for the City defence but he is displaying his strengths too far out from goal. The Hammers need to find a way of getting him involved in the penalty area.

GOAL! West Ham United 0-3 Manchester City (Jesus)

Game over. Obiang gifts the ball to Silva, and after his through-ball finds Sterling, he lays it off to Jesus to slot home from close range. It's a stunning goal and City are already out of sight. That is Jesus's first goal in English football and it won't be his last.

There's not much of an atmosphere inside the London Stadium. Many of the fans have gone for half-time refreshments. They are also fearful that they will City score another goal.

BOOKING! De Bruyne is booked for what can only be described as a "tactical" foul.

There will be two minutes of added-on time. However, there will be a bit more than that after Reid's studs connect with Stones's head. He will be fine to continue.

HALF TIME: West Ham United 0-3 Manchester City

The half-time whistle goes at the London Stadium and West Ham will be relieved to get into the dressing room. They have been played off the park by City and will have to produce the comebacks of all comebacks to get anything from this game.

City get us back underway. No changes for either side.

There are so many empty seats at the London Stadium. I'd imagine some supporters have gone home rather than being still in the toilets.

That's better from West Ham but they can't fashion a chance. A free kick from Noble is aimed towards Reid at the back post but despite getting free of any defenders, he can't reach the ball.

City are still pushing for goals - as you would expect them to - but West Ham's defenders are doing well to get their bodies in the way of any shots. That said, it still feels a matter of time before they net a fourth.

The last few minutes have passed by without incident and you'd imagine that it can't be long until Bilic makes a change. West Ham aren't going to get back into the game playing like this.

BOOKING! Sterling goes into the book for a foul on Carroll which stopped a West Ham break-away. Worth the yellow card.

A burst of pace from Antonio sees him surge past De Bruyne and Sagna but as he attempted to set up a chance for himself, he was dispossessed. Encouraging signs, though.

SUBSTITUTIONS! Bilic finally makes an alteration and it's a double change. Feghouli and Obiang have been replaced by Snodgrass and Fernandes.

GOAL! West Ham United 0-4 Manchester City (Toure pen)

After Sterling is fouled by Fonte inside the penalty area, the referee has no choice but to award a spot kick and Toure makes no mistake from 12 yards, despite Randolph going the correct way.

SUBSTITUTION! Guardiola takes the opportunity to rest De Bruyne, with Fernandinho coming on in his place.

BOOKING! Carroll isn't doing much to hide his frustration and he is deservedly booked for two deliberate fouls in the space of a minute.

SUBSTITUTION! Sergio Aguero is going to be given the final 17 minutes to try to add a fifth goal in this match. Sterling is the player to make way.

If there was an option for a team to call time on a match early because they are being outplayed, Bilic would be using it. They are chasing shadows, even though City have lowered the tempo over the past few minutes.

SUBSTITUTIONS! West Ham and City make their final changes, with Fletcher replacing Carroll and Delph coming on for Silva.

West Ham have the ball in the net after an excellent finish from Antonio but he was adjudged to have been marginally offside. It was the correct decision.

The home side have been a bit livelier since the introduction of Snodgrass, so I suppose that will be the one positive for Bilic. We are clutching at straws...

There will be five minutes of added-on time. I have no idea why. There is absolutely nothing happening in this game.

Fernandinho fouls Lanzini on the edge of the penalty area and West Ham have the chance to score a consolation goal. Snodgrass is standing over this...

The set piece from the Scot is deflected wide for a corner. It's a sad state of affairs when that's as good as it has got for West Ham in the second half.

FULL TIME: West Ham United 0-4 Manchester City

The full-time whistle goes at the London Stadium and Manchester City have completed one of their easiest wins of the season. It wasn't quite the five goals that they scored in the FA Cup but I'm sure Pep Guardiola is content with just the four. They move to within one point of second-place Tottenham Hotspur in the table.

That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this evening and we hope that you can stick around for all the results and reaction which are coming your way. Goodbye for now.

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