Matchday 20 of the Premier League will feature Manchester City hosting West Ham 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 and crucial 2-0 away victory against Leicester in the last round. This win ended a four-match winless streak in the league (2 draws and 2 losses). It was only their second victory in the last 10 Premier League matches (2 draws and 6 losses). The club is currently in sixth place, four points away from the Champions League zone.
Defender Ruben Dias, forward Oscar Bobb, and midfielder Rodri Hernandez will miss the game due to injuries. The participation of goalkeeper Ederson, midfielder Matheus Nunes, and defender John Stones is uncertain.
- No more than three goals have been scored in 10 of Manchester City's last 12 Premier League matches.
- The club has conceded in 8 of their last 10 league matches.
- The number "2" has appeared in the final score in 7 of the Citizens' last 10 Premier League games.
West Ham
The Hammers' four-match unbeaten run in the Premier League was halted 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 major loss in the current Premier League season. Julen Lopetegui's side is in 13th place, with an eight-point advantage over the nearest relegation zone rival.
Forward Michail Antonio is out for the rest of the season due to a leg fracture. Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is also sidelined with an injury.
- The number "1" 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 games.
- The club has failed to win 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, the Mancunians will face opponents from the lower half of the league table. There is a chance to significantly improve their standing, which Pep Guardiola's side should capitalize on. The recent victory over Leicester will boost the Citizens' confidence, and I expect a confident win for the hosts in the upcoming match. West Ham is not known for their consistency and is not as strong on the road, having won only two of their last eight away matches. The team has 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 not lost to West Ham, securing 14 wins and drawing three times. Moreover, at home, the Mancunians have beaten the Londoners in their last eight Premier League encounters. Therefore, my prediction is – Manchester City with a handicap (-1.5)
