On Sky
Destiny calling! Manchester City face West Ham in a showdown that will decide the destination of the English Premier League trophy…
Vital Quotes:
Manuel Pellegrini:
“Everyone is available for Sunday. For me, that is the most important thing ahead of this game. We need all our important players for this game and we are happy that we have them. We know the importance of this match but we must play a normal game and play to win as we always do. It is important to be calm ahead of this game. We have experienced players and some of them played in the game when we last won the Premier League, but the situation is different, many of the team are different and we are playing different opposition. I expect to win the match and I’m not thinking about a draw or anything else.”
Sam Allardyce:
‘Our task is a huge one but we have to try and cut through the hype and realise it is all about us finishing the season on a high and working as hard as we can to get a point or better against the champions elect?Although City only need a point to make sure of the title, a draw for us would be a magnificent result. If we managed to win, and that has to be our aim despite everything, that would be the biggest of all results this season…If it doesn’t work out and Manuel Pellegrini and his staff deservedly celebrate at the end, then I will be the first to shake his hand…If we lose the best thing we can do is vacate the stage quickly, get off home and leave the partying to those who will have something to celebrate…From a personal point of view, I’d like to see Steven Gerrard win it. It’s the last thing he hasn’t quite achieved for Liverpool, but obviously they’ve let it slip out of their hands. On form and where they are, Manchester City are the favourites but every West Ham player can go and give his best because we know we’re safe in the Barclays Premier League, so let’s go and spoil Manchester City’s party.’
Manchester City Team News:
The City squad is at full strength.
Player to watch: Yaya Touré
City’s rampaging giant from the Ivory Coast is at the absolute top of his ‘all rounder’ game but next to nobody outside of genuine football supporters acknowledges it. The likes of Mirror hack Brian Reade must look back at the public slamming they gave Yaya when he signed for Manchester City in July 2010 with crippling embarrassment such has been this brilliantly precise footballer’s stunning impact upon the English game. Without Touré and his 38 league goals, City would not stand upon the brink of realising two Premier League titles inside three seasons and the league itself would be a poorer place without him.
West Ham United Team News:
OUT:
Marco Borriello
Player to watch: Andy Carroll
The 25 year old striker from Gateshead has not enjoyed the most prolific career since leaving Newcastle over three years ago. He’s only found the net 9 times for West Ham across two years following his Liverpudlian debacle but has suffered rank bad luck with injuries. That said, his sheer strength and physical presence can make things happen, often generating complete chaos for the opposition and he’s sure to let the Kompany-Demichelis axis know they’ve been in a game come Sunday evening. Carroll has actually scored 5 Premier League goals against City and that’s more than he has done against any other club.
Match Facts & Stats
THE NUMBERS GAME:
City have scored 100 league goals to date and have 3 players with 15+ top flight goals to their name this season: D?eko 16, Sergio Agüero 17 and Yaya Touré 20. City are the first team ever in the Premier League to have achieved this feat.
West Ham have won just 2 of their last 25 away league games against City, losing 20 and drawing 3.
The Blues have converted 20.4% of their shots in to goals this season. No other team has converted 20% of their shots into goals in any of the last 10 Premier league seasons.
HEAD TO HEAD:
League: 42 City Wins, 14 Draws, 33 West Ham Wins
FA Cup: 1 City Win, 1 Draw, 2 West Ham Wins
League Cup: 3 City Wins, 1 Draw
Total: 46 City Wins, 16 Draws, 35 West Ham Wins
THIS COULD BE THE LAST TIME:
Tu 21 Jan 2014 West Ham 0 – 3 Man City LCSF2
We 08Jan 2014 Man City 6 – 0 West Ham LCSF1
Sa 19 Oct 2013 West Ham 1 – 3 Man City PL
Sa 27Apr 2013 Man City 2 – 1 West Ham PL
Betting: City 1/6 Draw 6 West Ham 18 Racing Post Soccerbase
FORM LAST 6 GAMES ALL COMPETITIONS:
West Ham: WLLLLW
City: LDWWWW
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TV COVERAGE: Sky Sports 1UK HD
LiveOnSat.com
PELLEGRINI WEST HAM PRESS CONFERENCE
Ref Watch:
Martin Atkinson from West Yorkshire
– Last Season: Sa 27Oct 2012 Man City 1 – 0 Swansea PL, Su 09Dec 2012 Man City 2 – 3 Man Utd PL, Sa 09Feb 2013 Southampton 3 – 1 Man City PL, Tu 14May 2013 Reading 0 – 2 Man City PL
– This Season: Sa 14Dec 2013 Man City 6 – 3 Arsenal PL, Su 02Mar 2014 Man City 3 – 1 Sunderland LCF, We 16Apr 2014 Man City 2 – 2 Sunderland PL -2012/13: 34 Games, 105 Yellows, 6 Reds. -2013/14: 38 Games, 114 Yellows, 3 Reds.
Match Prediction:
Johnny On The Spot:
A +13 goal difference and 2 points to the good on Liverpool going into their 57th and final game of a record breaking season on numerous fronts, Manuel Pellegrini’s squad need one more point to be crowned Premier League champions and secure the club’s 4th trophy inside 3 years. Their collective determination and professionalism has shone like a sky blue beacon throughout the past four consecutive wins and looking back across 4 competitions amongst a tsunami of goals and wonderful attacking play, lessons have been learned which will stand this group of players in good stead should they see off The Hammers and realise a league and league cup double. There is a collective siege mentality and stability now clear and present that suggests City are capable of sustaining a period of dominance in England which might yet be rewarded with kinder Champions League draws in Europe, despite the established European elite’s objective to stop the City juggernaut…Meanwhile, City’s hierarchy have for months had an eye on a repeat early summer recruitment drive designed to strengthen The Engineer’s weaponry yet further. Victory over West Ham would not only seal the winning of a thrilling title chase but also signal the green light for the couple of high profile signings required to fine tune a squad of champions who were brought in at ages designed to ensure career longevity in Manchester. We can expect news of movements before May is out, but in the meantime, the small matter of remaining focused and beating a Hammers side now free of the threat of relegation is an absolute. Sam Allardyce’s men have a similar record to that of this past week’s visitors Aston Villa and arrive in town in the same circumstances, thankful for a win last time out which ensured their top flight safety. Based upon what we’ve seen in recent weeks, I think they too will get nothing at The Etihad. I expect the Hammers to be much more combative than Villa were, but a full strength City can mix it too when required. I’m convinced that The Blues will set out to hit their opponents hard from the first whistle in a bid to get the job done quickly and efficiently. If City do score early, I can only see one result and a time for brandy and cigars at the end of one hell of a season. City 3 West Ham 0
Next Fixtures:
all times USA Local Time Zone
Su 27 Jul 16h00 AC Milan – Heinz Field, Pittsburgh – International Champions Cup
We 30 Jul 19h00 Liverpool – Yankee Stadium, New York – International Champions Cup
Sa 02 Aug 18h30 Olympiacos – TCF Bank, Minneapolis – International Champions Cup