The Matchday 20 Premier League fixture between Manchester City and West Ham will be held on January 4 at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City vs. West Ham: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Michael Salisbury (England)
Matches – 18 (Premier League, 2023/24–2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 66;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.7;
Red cards shown – 4;
Average fouls per match – 24;
Penalties – 33%.
Predicted lineups for Manchester City vs. West Ham
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Stefan Ortega – Nathan Ake, Rico Lewis, Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji – Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva – Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Savio – Erling Haaland.
West Ham (5-4-1): Alphonse Areola – Konstantinos Mavropanos, Max Kilman, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Emerson Palmieri, Vladimir Coufal – Lucas Paqueta, Carlos Soler, Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez – Jarrod Bowen.
Each team’s lineup reflects their starting XI from their last match in this tournament.
Manchester City
The Citizens secured a hard-fought but crucial 2-0 away victory over Leicester in the last round. This win ended a four-match winless streak in the league (2 draws and 2 losses). It was also just their second win in their last 10 Premier League fixtures (2 draws and 6 losses). The club is currently in sixth place in the league standings, four points behind the Champions League spots.
Defender Ruben Dias, forward Oscar Bobb, and midfielder Rodri Hernandez will miss the match due to injuries. Goalkeeper Ederson, midfielder Matheus Nunes, and defender John Stones are doubtful.
- No more than three goals have been scored in 10 of Manchester City’s last 12 Premier League matches.
- The team has conceded in 8 of their last 10 league games.
- The number "2" has appeared in the final score in 7 of the Citizens' last 10 Premier League matches.
West Ham
West Ham's four-match unbeaten run in the Premier League ended in the last round (2 wins and 2 draws). The team hosted league leaders Liverpool and suffered a heavy 0-5 defeat. This was West Ham's fifth heavy defeat in the current Premier League season. Julen Lopetegui's side is in 13th place, with an eight-point cushion over the nearest relegation rival.
Forward Michail Antonio is out for the season due to a leg fracture. Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and forward Jarrod Bowen are also injured.
- The number "1" has appeared in the final score in 5 of West Ham's last 6 Premier League matches.
- No more than three goals have been scored in 8 of the Londoners' last 11 Premier League matches.
- The club has not won in 6 of their last 8 away league matches (3 draws and 3 losses).
Manchester City vs. West Ham: Match Prediction
In the next three rounds, Manchester City will face opponents from the lower half of the table. There's an opportunity to significantly improve their standing, which Pep Guardiola's side should capitalize on. The recent win over Leicester will boost the Citizens' confidence, and I expect a convincing home victory in the upcoming match. West Ham is not known for their consistency and is not as strong on the road, having won just two of their last eight away games. They have also suffered away defeats by two or more goals against Leicester (1-3), Nottingham Forest (0-3), and Tottenham (1-4).
Manchester City has an excellent record against this opponent. In the last 17 league meetings, the Citizens have never lost to West Ham, winning 14 and drawing three times. Moreover, at home, Manchester City has defeated the Londoners in the last eight Premier League encounters. Therefore, my prediction is – Manchester City with a handicap (-1.5)
