Manchester City defender Otamendi eyes revenge win over West Ham

West Ham scored their first after just 55 seconds.

Cheikhou Kouyate strode past a non-existent challenge from Yaya Toure and into the area before cutting the ball back for the unmarked Valencia to slam under Joe Hart. A 4-0 victory against a very capable side is an excellent result that continues City’s good home form. New signing Sam Byram may also feature to make his debut in the middle of the park at Upton Park. West Ham’s most unsafe player is without a doubt Dimitri Payet. There was everything in it. Four goals, chances, yellow cards and a penalty.

Fabian Delph hit the post for City with a deflected shot, only for West Ham to then sting City with an immediate response in the 56th minute. Kevin de Bruyne has looked one of the players of the season, registering 11 goals and 11 assists in 29 appearances in all competitions for Manchester City. The Frenchman is West Ham’s key man whenever he steps on the pitch.

MOAN OF THE MATCH The West Ham fans” song for Payet, to the tune of “Achy Breaky Heart’, is so catchy you’ll find yourself humming it for days. “It was important when we were losing 2-1 to put Kelechi on because he plays very well with Kun and that is what allowed us to score the second goal”. But City are the best team in the League for me. This is a quality team and in Slaven Bilic they have a quality manager that has instilled belief in the players that they can compete at the top of the Premier League.

“Obviously as I get back to full fitness, the goals will start to flow”.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “It [a draw] was not what we wanted before the game”.

“We play every three days so we just eat, rest between games – so the weather is not really that important”.

The Hammers were unbeaten in eight league games before losing at Newcastle last week and are sixth in the table.

Iheanacho’s performance again begs the question if his minutes are being too managed by Pellegrini and given the continued underwhelming performances away from home, should be starting in some of these hard trips in order to help link-up play and stimulate counter-attacking moves?

Aleksandar Kolarov has been ruled out after coming off in the Palace match with a calf problem, joining fellow defenders Eliaquim Mangala (hamstring) and Vincent Kompany (calf), plus midfielder Samir Nasri (hamstring) and striker Wilfried Bony (calf), on the sidelines.