Manchester City 3 West Ham 0
It's the worst possible preparation for this one with the news that Zouma is probably out for the season and Rice, Soucek and Aguerd have succumbed to a bug in the Hammers camp. Still, the revamped Irons side give a decent defensive performance in the first half.
Fabianski has to make a smart save from Mahrez and Rodri hits the post after a give and go with Haaland. But Ogbonna has been getting his head on everything and Flynn Downes has bern solid enough as the only defensive midfielder. On the left Paqueta and Emerson have combined well at times. West Ham even nearly score when Bowen gets away down the right and fires at Ortega when a cross to Emerson might have seen a tap-in.
But with so much possession City's pressure tells in the second half. Downes gives away a foul in a bad area and from the free kick Ake heads home, with Ogbonna having played the City strikers onside by getting back too early. Coufal goes off with a pulled hamstring and the Hammers bring on Ben Johnson.
It's two when sub Ings plays a poor ball. Grealish breaks and plays through Haaland, who beats Fabianski with a delicate chip for his record-breaking 35th goal of the PL season. On this form he'd probably get in our team. If only City had a decent manager like Big Sam, who is apparently better than Guardiola.
A deflected strike from Foden makes it 3-0. Late on at least Paqueta gets through to have a shot parried by Ortega. It's no disgrace to lose at the Champions-elect but we now have an injury and illness crisis and need to get something from the last four games. Man United are not as good as City and a point or more on Sunday would do the job.
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