City slickers inspired by the genius of Silva again
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola simply love playing at the London Stadium.
West Ham United’s new home has received plenty of criticism since it was converted for football, but you won’t find a bad word about it from Pep or his all-conquering players.
It’s four victories from four visits with 17 goals scored and only one conceded. With the home crowd well away from the pitch and wide open spaces to exploit, City are untouchable at this venue.
This game was as good as over after 34 minutes, by which time they were already three up. The rest of the game was a stroll and one more goal in injury time completed an easy afternoon’s work, as City eased back into action following the international break.
While negative headlines continue to dog City’s Abu Dhabi owners away from the pitch, on it, things could not be going much better.
They stay two points clear of Liverpool at the top of the league and in their 13 games, they have already notched 40 goals.
So if anyone was hoping for a drop in standards after last season’s 100 points, there is not much evidence of that up yet, and their manager won’t allow it.
“We demand and we ask each other for many, many things,” said the City boss. “It is the only way.
“We know who the contenders are. Liverpool have had their best start ever to a season and this is a club with a huge history and with many Champions Leagues.
“After getting 100 points there were a lot of nice words and when that happens you don’t do what you need to do. What made me happy was seeing Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and then Riyad Mahrez running back to help our full-backs even after 60 and 70 minutes when we were winning 3-0.
“That is a signal that shows me we will try to do the same again, even though we know the contenders are tough.
“We want to do what nobody has done in the past 10 years – to retain the title. The demands are so high, but we accept the challenge.”
It was a chastening 90 minutes for former City manager Manuel Pellegrini in his first meeting with his old club since leaving them in May 2016. It was often felt that the Chilean was keeping the seat warm during his three years in charge until Guardiola became available, but he still delivered three trophies to the Etihad Stadium.
Four players who came to City during his reign were named in Guardiola’s side here, but there is no argument that the team have moved on apace since Pep arrived. But this was not a fair fight. West Ham’s players are not in the same class and the gulf was evident throughout the game, although their manager was upset at how quickly the game was up.
“Unfortunately for us, we were very weak in defending the first three goals,” he moaned.
“City can score three because they have very good players, but those kind of goals were too easy.
“It is hard to say if City are going to win the title. They will be a team involved in every competition.
“They have a very good team and they are playing very well. But it is difficult to feel what will happen in six months.”
Pellegrini had promised that his new team would attack his old one, but the Hammers had already survived one let-off when the Champions went ahead.
The ball was worked serenely out to Sterling on the right, before his cross took a deflection off Arthur Masuaku.
The little magician David Silva was quickest to react and he just guided the loose ball past Lukasz Fabianski.
Having set up one, Sterling then applied the finishing touch as City went two up as he tapped in at the far post from Sane’s low ball across.
The home side could have halved the deficit almost immediately, but Michail Antonio fired straight at Ederson.
There was a feeling of slow motion as the visitors scored their third.
Fernandinho picked out Sterling with a delightful chipped pass.
The England winger wasn’t offside and squared for Sane, who put Federico Balbuena on his backside before side-footing past a helpless Fabianski.
West Ham could have pulled one back just before the hour-mark as substitute Javier Hernandez slipped in Antonio, who beat Ederson, but struck the outside of a post.
The rest of the game was played at walking pace, but Sane applied the finishing touch with the last kick as he volleyed past Fabianski for his second of the day and fourth in three games.