Manchester City 2-1 West Ham: Three Things We Learned

It was another stacked weekend of Premier League action in the last few days with Sunday having a particularly stacked schedule full of fun fixtures. There were big stakes in games up and down the table and that was especially true at the Etihad.

Manchester City went to war against West Ham United and they did so in pretty tough conditions. In the end, though, it was City who managed to come away with a 2-1 with that ensures their push to retain the Premier League title is still very much on track.

City keep composure

A game at home to a team in fine form is always going to serve as something of a roadblock, but Manchester City didn’t allow the occasion to overwhelm them. The hosts were the ones creating most of the chances and at the back, they only really let their guard down in the final few moments of the match. It was a restatement to the kind of resolve that this club has and when you’re fighting it out for a title, this is the kind of performance you want to be seeing from a team full of superstars.

Groundskeeper success

After the game, Pep Guardiola had the following to say about the groundskeepers who ensured the game could go ahead in the midst of a violent snowstorm.

“I think the groundkeepers, the men who took care of the pitch, were the men of the match. They did an incredible job so we could play the game today.”

The half-time interval was extended by five minutes to give head groundsman Lee Jackson and his team all the time they needed to try and keep the ball rolling. It was a relentless process but ultimately, they got over the finish line.

Can West Ham handle the pressure?

West Ham United are still fourth in the Premier League which proves just how well they’ve done so far this season. Alas, while it may be worth celebrating, it also needs to be highlighted that they’ve lost two PL games on the bounce to Wolves and Manchester City. When you put that alongside their strong Europa League form you have to wonder whether or not they’re starting to feel the pressure.

With nine games ahead in December, we’re about to see what West Ham are really made of with three competitions to compete in between now and the new year.