JAKARTA - Manchester City will host West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, December 20 local time in the English League. The Cityzens have the target of extending the winning streak and opening the opportunity to rise to the top of the standings. This match brings together City, which is in the best phase of the season, with West Ham, who are still struggling to get out of the relegation zone.
City came in almost flawless form. Since losing 0-1 to Aston Villa at the end of October, Pep Guardiola's troops responded in the classic City way: win, win, and win again. They won 10 of the last 12 games in all competitions and always scored at least two goals in every victory. Midweek last, City secured a semi-final ticket in the League Cup after defeating Brentford 2-0, just three days after a convincing 3-0 victory at Crystal Palace's home in the Premier League.
In the standings, City is in second place with a two-point gap from Arsenal. A victory over West Ham will bring them to the top, at least until Arsenal plays their game. With the consistency of the game and the depth of the squad, City has a great chance to close this week as the leader of the standings.
Etihad Stadium is again a key factor. Since the beginning of April, City has become the team with the most home wins in the Premier League. The last seven home games have always ended in victory, and the only home defeat in the long period was only against Tottenham. For the visiting team, Etihad is currently more like a test room than a football stadium.
The record of meetings further confirms the dominance of the hosts. City is unbeaten in the last 19 meetings against West Ham in the Premier League. The last five meetings have always been won by City by scoring at least three goals. This statistic puts West Ham in a defensive position even before the match starts.
West Ham's situation is far from ideal. Since being managed by Nuno Espirito Santo, The Hammers have only won two out of 11 league games. Last week's 2-3 defeat to Aston Villa left them stranded in 18th place, three points from the safety zone. If they lose again at the Etihad, West Ham are sure to spend Christmas in the relegation zone, a pressure that could have a big impact on the team's mentality.
Even so, West Ham still tries to defend through discipline and organization of the game. Three consecutive away draws show that they are able to steal points, although they often fail to maintain the lead. The challenge, City is the most ruthless team when the opponent starts to lose focus.
In terms of team news, Manchester City still has to lose some players. Oscar Bobb suffered a hamstring injury and was followed by Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku, and John Stones in the treatment room. Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri are also absent because they strengthened their country at the African Cup of Nations. However, Guardiola still has enough options to field a very competitive lineup.
Erling Haaland is confirmed as the main focus in the front line. The Norwegian striker has scored nine Premier League goals against West Ham and only one more goal to break into double digits. Behind him, the creativity of the game will rely on Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, and Rayan Cherki, who are in a productive phase at the Etihad.
West Ham also did not come with full strength. Lukasz Fabianski is still sidelined due to injury, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf are absent due to international duties. Nuno is expected to return to using a three-back formation to dampen City's pressure and try to play closer together.
With all factors in place, this match is heavily tilted towards the hosts. City have the momentum, individual quality, and a historical record that fully supports them. West Ham will likely defend deep and wait for a gap through the counterattack, but City's sustained pressure at the Etihad is usually just a matter of time before a goal is scored.
The score prediction leads to a convincing victory for Manchester City 3-0 over West Ham United, a result that will keep the pressure on the top of the table while extending West Ham's difficult period in the English League winter.
Predicted Starting XI
Manchester City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Gonzalez; Bernardo, Reijnders, Cherki, Foden; Haaland
West Ham United: Areola; Mavropanos, Todibo, Kilman; Walker-Peters, Magassa, Potts, Scarles; Paqueta, Fernandes; Bowen
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