Relentless City are flashing up warning signals for the rest
MANCHESTER CITY drive on so imperiously and inexorably that it is impossible not to fear for the competitive balance of this Premier League season.
The inevitability of losing to them is becoming so great that defeatism lurks. Liverpool are unbeaten, just like City, yet every point they drop now has grave consequences.
The usual narrative about the league leaders’ supreme technical merit applies. The third goal was the high point: a drilled, 20-yard diagonal from Fernandinho, cushioned on the volley by Raheem Sterling into Leroy Sane, who ‘sat down’ Fabian Balbuena and clipped past Lukasz Fabianski. It was divine, football in art form and a privilege to watch.
But the top flight needs infinitely more mettle than West Ham showed if there is to be any hope for some dramatic tension in the six months ahead.
‘We were very weak in defending the first three goals,’ said Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini.
City had scored 11 goals in three previous visits and took only 10 minutes to improve the tally.
Sterling was the provider. His cross, after fastening onto Kyle Walker’s driving pass down the right, was deflected into the path of David Silva.
No defender moved to prevent his clever flick past the advancing Fabianski.
The script was painfully similar when Sane whipped comfortably past Pablo Zabaleta to set up the second eight minutes later, laying a square cross for Sterling who was in the six-yard box to tap in, courtesy of Issa Diop’s lamentable failure to offer a challenge.
It was no surprise that Fernandinho was the architect of the third. Of all the players Pep Guardiola inherited from Pellegrini, the Brazilian is the one who has grown most.
The final nail was hammered home when a cross from substitute Gabriel Jesus, found Sane with space to control and shoot past Cresswell.
City boss Guardiola was delighted with his team’s application after the international break.
‘The guys have been training for 10 days in a different way, with a different rhythm, and then they come back and have one training session, then travel away, and West Ham have quality,’ he said.
‘But the four goals were fantastic and the result is incredible.’