Premier League: City Can be Officially Four-midable

Manchester City vs West Ham United

So, this is it then. On the verge of not just Premier League history but English football history.

Manchester City will be champions for the sixth time in seven years if they beat West Ham at home on Sunday.

A West Ham side with nothing to play for against hosts bidding to become the first team ever to win four successive top-flight English titles.

Yes, there will be question marks about any of their triumphs until a case to answer more than 100 financial charges, which have been levelled against the club, is heard.

That, though, is for another day. And on Sunday, all focus will be on the pitch where no can argue the club has not used its incredible wealth to deadly effect.

Talking Points

Ironic that one of their cheapest outlays, around the £50 million mark, has been the deadliest hitman of all.

The main man spearheading their attack is someone who almost always delivers when it matters most and a case in point came on Tuesday night when a certain Norwegian did exactly what he was hired for, making the difference in a game City had to win.

Erling Haaland has enjoyed yet another campaign of Premier League 2024 highlights and, with one league game remaining, is five goals clear of his nearest rival in the scoring charts.

He began his top-flight experience with a double against West Ham on the opening day of last season.

A repeat on Sunday will almost certainly ensure he becomes a double league champion.

While the world is at the feet of the 23-year-old marksman, the English football adventure for a stalwart manager will come to a close (for now at least).

Haaland was not quite two when Davd Moyes managed his first game in the Premier League for Everton where he stayed 11 years before taking on an unforgiving task in the red half of Manchester – the impossible job of replacing the greatest manager who has ever lived.

Spells at Real Sociedad and Sunderland followed before two stints at West Ham, the second of which is about to draw to a close.

On home turf, Moyes has had his farewell and the reception he received last weekend was a deserved one.

Wouldn’t he love, though, to finally win away at one of the established big-hitters in English football – a record which he has never been able to shake off.

This marks an ending for the Hammers and then a new beginning.

It looks like former Sevilla and Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui is on his way – a manager with real European pedigree, having won the Europa League with Sevilla.

Although a word of warning was quite astutely pointed out by my SBOTOP colleague the other day. Lopetegui left Wolves after less than a year in charge due to disagreements with the board.

West Ham’s hierarchy will need to give this ambitious manager what he wants or it could be a short-term relationship.

As for Sunday, Moyes would be given life membership of title-chasing Arsenal were he to cause an upset and stop City from making a history.

Personally, I just cannot see it.

History

City have scored in 25 of the past 26 matches against West Ham in all competitions dating back to November 2012.

The corresponding fixture last season saw second half goals from Nathan Ake, Haaland, and Phil Foden seal a 3-0 success.

They also overturned a half-time deficit to win against the Hammers earlier this season when a James Ward-Prose opener was cancelled out by Jeremy Doku, Berando Silva, and Haaland.

The Norwegian has actually netted against them on all three occasions he has played starting on the opening weekend of last season’s clash when a goal in each half sealed a 2-0 victory in east London. Now he ends his second league campaign with the Citizens against them hoping to stay a champion.

City have actually won 14 of the last 17 meetings with West Ham in all competitions, scoring 45 goals and conceding just nine.

Overall, West Ham have won on 38 occasions with 63 City triumphs and 19 draws.

Betting Tip

The Premier League 2024 betting odds are emphatic.

City are priced 1X2 @ 1.10 and Asian Handicap -2.75 @ 2.05.

The Hammers are so far adrift of that, both 1X2 @ 13.00 and Asian Handicap +2.50 @ 2.13.

A re-run of last season’s encounter at the Etihad – a 3-0 triumph – will pay out @ 7.50 with Correct Score. That would not surprise me, but I am going to opt for Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.66 instead.

 

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