Premier League: New Looks All the Rage in Season Opener

West Ham United vs Manchester City

The final fixture of the opening weekend of the new Premier League season threatens to be the best of the lot.

It is a place where many of the top clubs have come undone at times – all apart from one.

In fact, that is one of the reasons why Manchester City are the champions and have been for four of the last five seasons.

Their record in east London is, quite frankly, superb and – aside from a League Cup defeat on penalties last term – I cannot remember the last time they came unstuck at West Ham.

Last season they threatened to blow their title advantage in the penultimate game of the season only to show the character and class of champions and claw their way back into the contest.

Now their slightly new-look team attempts to display all those characteristics once more against a team which has become upwardly mobile in the last two seasons under David Moyes.

Talking Points

Coach Pep Guardiola has shaken things up a bit and acquired something akin to a traditional No 9 in the form of Erling Haaland.

A prodigious talent, he is the man to make the difference in those tight matches and gives City an option they have lacked since Sergio Agüero was at his best.

He has allowed Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus to leave but will be optimistic their replacements can surpass their achievements – although this observer believes failing to replace Sterling could well prove costly.

As his farewell tweet to the club, Sterling said: “I arrived in Manchester a 20-year-old. Today, I leave as a man.

“Seven seasons, 11 major trophies, a lifetime of memories.”

That cannot be underrated.

West Ham have been active in the market themselves with the recent signing of Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, in a deal believed to be worth around £30.5 million, their fourth arrival of the summer.

He should take the goalscoring heat off Michail Antonio and joins £30m recruit Nayef Aguerd and Flynn Downes – the 23-year-old midfielder who has joined the club on a five-year deal from Championship side Swansea City – alongside goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Moyes also wants to sign a left-sided attacker and, seemingly struggling to convince Filip Kostic to join his side from Eintracht Frankfurt, the club has reportedly switched its focus to Maxwel Cornet from relegated Burnley.

There have been outgoings too.

Left-back Arthur Masuaku has left the club on a season-long loan to join Turkish side Besiktas and Issa Diop, who has just a year left on his contract at the London Stadium, is said to have been the subject of a £15m bid from newly promoted Premier League rivals Fulham.

With England midfielder Declan Rice taking over the captain’s armband following the long-serving Mark Noble’s exit, West Ham have plenty of talent and will be responsible for some Premier League 2022 highlights and perhaps some cup success.

There is no question Moyes has achieved fine things over the past two years and the progress is there for all to see.

But with a limited depth of squad, and the added exertions of football in the Europa Conference League, are they really equipped though to go higher than last season’s seventh-place finish and leapfrog any of the established big six?

I’m not convinced.

History

City have scored in 22 of the past 23 matches against West Ham in all competitions, dating back to November 2012.

The corresponding fixture last season saw City hit back through Jack Grealish and an own goal after Jarrod Bowen’s first-half double had fired the Hammers in front.

In Manchester, goals from one of their title heroes, Ilkay Gundogan, and Fernandinho sealed a 2-1 home win with Manuel Lanzini replying.

City have actually won 11 of the last 14 meetings with West Ham in all competitions and have not lost any of them (bar the shoot-out defeat last season) – scoring 37 goals and conceding just eight.

Overall, West Ham have won on 38 occasions with 60 City triumphs and 19 draws.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Premier League 2022 betting odds are all City with the Champions available to back 1X2 @ 1.34 and Asian Handicap -1.75 @ 2.33.

By contrast, the Hammers’ odds include 1X2 @ 8.50 and Asian Handicap +1.25 @ 2.16.

They are well adrift and I think the encounter will be a lot closer in truth.

A repeat of last season’s 2-2 draw is on offer with Correct Score @ 24.00 and while I do think there will be goals, my prediction is for the total to go over 3.25 goals.

 

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