A resurgent Manchester City side thrashed West Ham United 4-0 at the London Stadium in a brilliant display of attacking football in the first half. The Hammers, who recently sold their star player Dimitri Payet to Marseille after a lengthy and controversial saga had no answer to City’s persistent attacks and free-flowing play.
The game was a largely one-sided affair with City’s youngsters dazzling in the final third as the hosts simply had no answer to the display of pace and power from Pep Guardiola’s men. Here are the five biggest talking points from the game.
#1 Welcome to Premier League Gabriel Jesus
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Gabriel Jesus might be just 19-years-old and about 5 ft 9 inches tall, but City saw the potential in the forward and signed him out of obscurity after just one season with Palmeiras in Brazil. He made his debut in City’s 2-2 draw against Spurs, coming on in the 82nd minute and lit up the pitch immediately. He had then gone on to score in the FA cup against Crystal Palace.
But tonight he was handed his first start in the Premier League playing as a lone striker against a proper English defence in West Ham United and he did not disappoint. He made an intelligent run from the half-line after Kevin De Bruyne got the ball from a wayward pass and then effortlessly teed up the Belgian for the game’s opener with a perfectly weighted simple first-time pass.
It was a brilliant flowing counter attack after City got the ball back. However, Jesus was not done there, he got his goal on another counter-attack after Sane won the ball back and played Raheem Sterling through. The Englishman set up Gabriel Jesus for a tap-in and capped a good display from the youngster in his first full 45 minutes in the Premier League.
He caused quite a few problems for West Ham all game with his play and movement and is definitely a youngster with a lot of potential to go right to the top.
#2 Leroy Sane delights – That City front five are lethal and surely one for the future
Leroy Sane is another bright young talent in City’s squad. He is only 21-years-old and has a long career ahead of him. Tonight he was all over the pitch and involved in all three of City’s first half goals. He dragged two defenders with him after a good run to open the space up for De Bruyne’s first goal.
Then on another counter-attack he received the ball from De Bruyne on the left flank with a lot to do. He nutmegged Sam Byram with some neat improvisation after a bad touch, then ran into the box leaving Jose Fonte stumbling and crossed a low-hit ball across the face of goal which David Silva finished.
Later, the German youngster won the ball back and played a brilliant ball to Sterling for Jesus’ goal. Sane was brilliant, no doubt, but that front five for Manchester City in Guardiola’s 4-1-4-1 are something to behold. They’re all diminutive, extremely fast (except maybe David Silva but he makes up for that with other aspects of his game) and they’re all brilliant on the ball.
That attacking five for City, with Jesus, Silva, De Bruyne, Sane and Sterling can wreak a lot of havoc for teams in England and Europe and of course, Sergio Aguero fits in too. Jesus and Aguero will be used in rotation in the coming years and despite City being off-colour this season, expect them to pick up steam with that front five, from here on out.
With David Silva and Kevin De Bryune pulling the strings, expect some fireworks in the final third. Also, Jesus, Sane and Sterling are – 19, 21 and 22 respectively – that’s quite a future City have.
#3 The Hammers bring down the hammer in the second half
Slaven Bilic must have surely rallied his troops in the dressing room after conceding three goals in the first half against City. Whether he played the metal classic – ‘Let the bodies hit the floor’ or not, is surely debatable, but it certainly seemed like that. As soon as the second half began the West Ham players flung themselves straight into the bodies of City’s players, clattering them and bringing them down.
Bilic surely asked his players to ruffle their opponents and tackle hard in the second half because they upped the physicality of their game in the second forty-five. Sterling and Jesus were both simultaneously sent to the floor, Noble got stuck in and Andy Carrol led the line putting himself about.
However, despite their best efforts City kept coming back at them and managed to score one more. The physical approach definitely limited West Ham’s damage to only one goal in the second half.
#4 Old stalwart Yaya Toure scores from the penalty spot to seal City’s win
33-year-old Yaya Toure has been immense for Manchester City all through his career and has been a mainstay in the Citizens’ midfield ever since his move from Barcelona in 2010. He’s been such a great player for them through the years and it was good to see him get back on the scoresheet in this game against West Ham.
He converted a penalty after Raheem Sterling was brought down in the box by Fonte. The Ivorian then converted coolly past Randolf to seal the win for his side. The big man also had a great game marshalling the back four, breaking up play and distributing in midfield.
It was a good solid game from him and he has seemingly repaired his relationship with Pep Guardiola after a fall-out earlier in the season. Toure has now scored 4 goals in 12 games this season for City.
#5 A rare clean sheet for Manchester City’s defence
Wilfriedo Caballero did not concede a goal in this game. It wasn’t Claudio Bravo this time – big surprise there. To be fair, West Ham did not conjure up much in front of goal – they had just one shot on target in the whole game. It was a good game from City’s defence of Stones and Otamendi who fought hard in the second half when West Ham tried to come back at them and nullified the danger.
The wing backs, Kolarov and Sagna were solid as well not allowing too much room for West Ham to exploit down the flanks. This is now Caballero’s third clean sheet in the three games he has played. He was barely called into action apart from some routine catches and a couple of saves.
With Vincent Kompany coming back into the team soon as well, City look like they could finish the season strongly. The huge goalkeeper blunder by Guardiola, has cost the club dearly this season, and truth be told, this is a City side that should technically be running neck and neck with Chelsea at the top of the table.
