MAN CITY 1, WEST HAM 0
Manchester City needed a “soft” penalty to defeat West Ham and avoid dropping important points in the pursuit of their Premier League title defence.
Sergio Aguero scored the decisive spot kick after substitute Bernardo Silva went down after a flimsy challenge from Felipe Anderson.
It was tough on the Hammers who defended resolutely and deserved some reward for their efforts as City at times looked jaded after their recent hectic schedule.
It took the introduction of substitutes Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva to inject the intensity that was lacking for much of the match.
The pair’s introduction lifted City who in the last half hour had more to the swagger for which they have become renowned.
At the end of the day, though, they collected three points to remain hot on the heels of leaders Liverpool who enjoyed an emphatic win against Watford.
Embed from Getty ImagesCity manager Pep Guardiola described his side as playing a “really good game”.
He said: “We played so well. When you see the result 1-0 it looked as though we could have done better.
“We created an incredible number of chances and had three early ones and could have been 2-0 ahead.
“We did everything and conceded only one shot on target. After playing 120 minutes on Sunday, it was an incredible performance.”
Guardiola admitted his side’s performance was flat for the last 20/25 minutes of the opening half which he put down to his players finding it hard to believe it was goalless given the amount of chances they created.
City’s manager explained he brought on Sterling and Bernardo Silva early in the second half because his side needed more pace.
“We did not finish like we created. It was 0-0 and we needed a step going forward,” he said.
Asked about the penalty, Hammers’ manager Manuel Pellegrini said: “It is being generous to say it was soft. It was not a penalty.
“If we lost the game to another action, but not a penalty. There was a touch but he need not have gone down to the ground.”
City made four changes to their Wembley starting line-up, though the absence of Aymeric Laporte was enforced through injury.
Kyle Walker, Sterling and Bernardo Silva all stepped down to the bench as Danilo, Vincent Kompany, Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez won call-ups.
Former City manager Pellegrini returned to the Etihad along with ex-Blues’ players Samir Nasri and Pablo Zabaleta while former Reds’ player Javier Hernandez was also in their line-up.
There was no Wembley hangover for City who started on the front foot and could have been three up inside four minutes.
Kevin De Bruyne’s drive flashed past the upright, Mahrez shot over from six yards and David Silva struck the upright from the same distance.
After an explosive opening, the intensity lessened as West Ham gradually began to get the measure of City who were also without the injured Fernandinho, John Stones and Gabriel Jesus.
City made claims for a penalty in the 26th minute when Aguero’s shot struck the hand of Angelo Ogbonna who slid in to make a block.
Latics enjoyed 78 per cent of first-half possession and had 11 goal attempts to the Hammers’ none, but only one lukewarm one from Mahrez was on target.
Pellegrini made one change at the restart as Nasri made way for Manuel Lanzini.
The Hammers almost snatched the lead in the 50th minute with their first goal attempt of the game.
Andy Carroll got on to end of a cross from Lanzini, but City keeper Ederson made an outstanding reflex save.
City, who had become lack-lustre, made two changes in quick succession before the hour as Sterling and Bernardo Silva replaced the out-of-sorts Mahrez and Sane who had also failed to impress.
And the change paid almost immediate dividends as Bernardo Silva had been barely on the field one minute when he was a penalty, a soft one after a challenge by Felipe Anderson.
Aguero sent keeper Lucasz Fabianski the wrong way from the spot, his 25th goal of the season.
Zabaleta was introduced mid-half and rarely can a visiting player been afforded such a warm welcome at the Etihad.
City’s changes certainly had the desired effect as they suddenly played with an intensity they didn’t possess in the opening hour.
Fabianski was suddenly a busy man as he made a great save to deny Sterling and David Silva, following up, saw his shot cleared off the line by Ryan Fredericks.
The keeper then beat away another effort from the livewire Sterling and made a fabulous stop low down to deny Danilo who was set up by Bernardo Silva’s weaving run.
Sterling should have doubled the lead but shot narrowly wide from a Bernardo Silva cross as City were a far more potent attacking force.
Guardiola made his last change with five minutes left when Aguero made way for Phil Foden.
In the dying minutes, City were playing keep ball in the corner, an indication they were not prepared to risk squandering their slender advantage and important points in the title race as their game management was exemplary.