City wrapped up a rocky year by beating Leicester City 2-0, with goals from Savinho and Erling Haaland. That win marked Pep Guardiola's 500th game in charge, and while the result brought some relief, the champions are still far from their usual dominant selves.
Before that victory, City had endured a rough patch, going eight straight away games without a win and losing seven of them. But their overdue triumph at the King Power Stadium lifted them back into the top six and provided a glimmer of hope.
Despite the win, Guardiola has already dismissed any talk of a miraculous title comeback. The focus now is on securing a top-four spot to guarantee Champions League football next season.
Luckily for City, the New Year tends to bring them good fortune , they’ve won their first league game of the calendar year in each of the last 12 seasons. And Guardiola has a flawless record at home against West Ham, with eight wins in eight matches at the Etihad.
History is definitely on City’s side. West Ham haven’t beaten them in their last 18 Premier League meetings, and they risk setting an unwanted club record if they fail to win again on Saturday, no opponent has ever gone 19 games without losing to the Hammers. The last time West Ham endured such a streak was against Liverpool in the late 20th century.
West Ham's recent form has been a mixed bag. They went four games unbeaten before running into a red-hot Liverpool side on December 29. The Hammers were hammered, losing 5-0 at home as five different Liverpool players got on the scoresheet. That defeat was a harsh reality check, but they still sit eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Defensive issues remain a big problem for West Ham. They conceded more Premier League goals in 2024 (79) than any other team and haven’t kept a clean sheet against Man City in their last 24 league meetings. The only longer streak in their history was against Sunderland, when they failed to shut them out for 25 games over a 45-year span a run that ended with an 8-0 win for the Hammers.
As much as West Ham would love a repeat of that result, any hopes of an eight-goal rout at the Etihad seem like pure fantasy. City may not be at their best, but they’ll be expecting nothing less than three points to start the New Year on the right foot.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Man City boss Pep Guardiola will be without Rodri (ACL), Oscar Bobb (leg), and Ruben Dias (muscle) for Saturday’s clash with West Ham. Speaking ahead of the game, Guardiola confirmed that he expects to have a similar squad to the one that featured in their win over Leicester.That means Matheus Nunes, John Stones, and Ederson are also unlikely to be available. On a positive note, Kyle Walker is back from illness — he came off the bench in the final 20 minutes at the King Power Stadium, replacing Nathan Ake.
With an FA Cup tie against Salford City coming up on January 11, Guardiola is expected to stick with his strongest lineup for this Premier League match, leaving no rest for Erling Haaland, who has rediscovered his scoring touch.
West Ham, meanwhile, suffered a double blow in their heavy loss to Liverpool. Not only did they lose the game, but they also lost Jarrod Bowen to a foot fracture, which will sideline him for the foreseeable future.
On a brighter note, Michail Antonio has been discharged from the hospital after his recent car accident. However, he’s still a long way from returning to the pitch, so Niclas Fullkrug is expected to lead the line for the Hammers.
Manager Julen Lopetegui can welcome back Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodriguez from suspension, but goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski remains out as he continues to recover from a concussion sustained in the win over Southampton.
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester City possible starting lineup:Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic; Foden, Silva, De Bruyne, Savinho; Haaland
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Soucek, Rodriguez; Kudus, Paqueta, Summerville; Fullkrug
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester City 4-1 West Ham
Considering how poorly West Ham defended against Liverpool, it’s hard to see them holding off a refreshed Man City side. Guardiola’s men look ready to put their struggles behind them and could be on course to win back-to-back games for the first time since October.
