WEST HAM 0, MANCHESTER CITY 4
- Goals by Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Gabriel Jesus and Yaya Toure
- City now only 5th on goal difference, 10 points behind leaders Chelsea, and 4 points ahead of Manchester United in 6th
- A single point separates 2nd through 4th
Clinical Manchester City thrashed West Ham for the second time in less than a month at the London Stadium with young Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus celebrating his first Premier League start with a goal and assist in a 4-0 humbling of the Hammers.
City were already ahead though goals by Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva, before Jesus’ effort finished off the Hammers and Yaya Toure’s second half penalty allowed City to cruise through the rest of the game.
It was the third time City have faced off against Slaven Bilic’s side this season and Pep Guardiola’s side have an aggregate 12-1 scoreline with nine of the goals coming at the London Stadium.
Despite victory putting City back within 10 points of league leaders Chelsea, Guardiola was insistent that the title was Chelsea’s to lose but praised the performance of his youthful forwards, with Jesus in particular given praise.
Guardiola declared: “These guys are the future of the club.”
The Spaniard opted to keep faith with the forwards and goalkeepers who helped City to a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup last weekend.
This meant that Willy Caballero displaced Claudio Bravo in a league game for the first time this season and Sergio Aguero started the game on the bench despite being declared fit by Guardiola yesterday.
An assured performance by Caballero also seemed to give City’s defence more confidence after recent pressure over Claudio Bravo’s goalkeeping.
“Today [Caballero] was first choice.” confirmed Guardiola, who added that he would decide on the goalkeeping berth in the future.
Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane, and Raheem Sterling’s combination of guile, pace, and penetration was too much for the home side whose supporters began to filter away long before the end of this one-sided contest.
Although the front players remained the same, Guardiola left Vincent Kompany, Gael Clichy and Fabian Delph on the bench alongside Aguero, with John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and Kevin De Bruyne returning to first team duty.
In stark contrast to many City games this season, Pep Guardiola’s side were clinical in finishing their chances as they converted each of the four shots on target they had during a game which left the lacklustre home side punch drunk.
This was due in part to the energetic pressing game played by City which was especially effective against an error-strewn West Ham side.
Kevin De Bruyne started the rout with a goal in the 17th minute after he exchanged passes with Jesus and picked his spot.
City’s second came four minutes later after Leroy Sane slalomed his way through West Ham’s defence and saw his cross deflected by a Hammers defender into the path of David Silva for a tap-in.
Sane combined with Raheem Sterling who found Jesus to hit his first richly deserved Premier League goal inside the back post in the 39th minute.
City’s fourth goal, a penalty by Yaya Toure in the 67th minute after Jose Fonte brought down Sterling in the area, only served to underline a well worked performance and allowed City to take their foot off the gas.