Hammers unable to stop Premier League leaders Man City

Grady Diangana takes on Fabian Delph

West Ham United 0-4 Manchester City
Premier League

West Ham United were unable to halt Premier League leaders Manchester City, who raced away to a 4-0 victory at London Stadium on Saturday.

The damage was done before the break, as Raheem Sterling scored one and set two more up for David Silva and Leroy Sane.

West Ham had chances of their own and hit the post in the second half through Michail Antonio, but Manchester City were more clinical throughout and scored their fourth at the death when Sane secured his brace.

Manuel Pellegrini made two changes to the starting XI, recalling Arthur Masuaku and Antonio, while Andy Carroll returned to the bench for the first time this season after overcoming an ankle injury.

It took the visitors just eleven minutes to move in front when they headed downfield swiftly following a Hammers corner. Sterling got into space down the right, and his deflected cross dropped perfectly for David Silva to tuck past Lukasz Fabianksi at the near post.

Eight minutes later, the provider turned goalscorer – Sterling stealing in unnoticed at the far post to meet Sane’s drilled low cross with a simple close range finish.

West Ham looked to strike back immediately and Antonio – playing alongside Marko Arnautovic up front, put Aymeric Laporte under pressure inside the area, robbing the Frenchman and pulling back to his strike partner, who couldn’t get enough on his shot to beat Ederson.

Shortly afterwards, Arnautovic returned the favour to Antonio, playing him into space to bear down on the area. The West Ham No30 took on the shot as City defenders closed in, but again Ederson stood in the way.

The visitors’ greater ruthlessness in front of goal showed again on 34 minutes as again Sterling proved too hot to handle, reaching Fernandinho’s floated pass to knock square to Sane, who took and touch and slotted into the net.

West Ham introduced Aaron Cresswell and Chicharito from the bench at the start of the second period and the latter played a lovely pass into Antonio which almost gave his side a route back into the contest on 58 minutes.

Antonio raced clear of Delph and beat Ederson with his near post shot, but not the upright and the ball bounced away to safety.

Earlier, Sterling had a great chance to add a fourth when a deflected pass fell to him in acres of space in front of goal, but Fabianski reacted quickly to take the ball off his toes.

It was a rare miss from the visitors, but when their next big chance came in the final minute they made sure they took it.

Sane was the goalscorer, taking down Gabriel Jesus’ cross before drilling hard and low into the bottom right corner.

West Ham United: Fabianski, Zabaleta (c), Diop, Balbuena, Masuaku (Cresswell 46), Diangana (Chicharito 55), Rice, Obiang, Felipe Anderson (Lucas 68), Antonio, Arnautovic
Subs: Adrian, Ogbonna, Noble, Carroll

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph, Fernandinho, Gundogan (Foden 69), D.Silva (c), Sterling (Mahrez 74), Sane, Aguero (Gabriel Jesus 80)
Subs: Muric, Kompany, Stones, Zinchenko

Goals: D.Silva 11, Sterling 19, Sane 34, 90+3

Referee: Andre Marriner

Attendance: 56,886