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Manchester City will be looking to close the gap on league leaders Chelsea when they head to Upton Park to take on a West Ham side that has proven to be full of surprises so far this season. Join The Roar from 10:45pm (AEDT) for live scores and commentary.
After letting their midweek game against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League slip, City will be looking to exact revenge on a Hammers side that has already knocked over one giant at Upton Park this season in Liverpool.
The Hammers have proven capable if not at least willing to match it with the Premier League’s best. Their newly found strike partnership of Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have settled in very quickly scoring seven goals in a combined 13 games, with Sakho proving to be seemingly unstoppable as of late scoring five from his last six appearances.
Both will need to be on top form if they are to take any points of City who have conceded just eight goals this season.
When the schedule was released before the season started, few if any would have picked this as a top four clash but coming into the last week of October, it is exactly what we have.
The Hammers have surprised a lot of people this season but they face a City side that is probably unlucky to not be undefeated so far given their only loss came to Stoke in what was a brutal affair of defensive football and textbook example of the bus being firmly parked.
Although it will be important for Valencia and Sakho to be on form the bigger problem is how are they going to stop Sergio Aguero, who has been on fire lately scoring five from his last two games, albeit with two goals coming from the spot in their last league outing, a 4-1 demolition of Spurs.
West Ham centre backs Winston Reid and Aaron Cresswell will have their work cut out for them and will need to be aware of the diminutive Argentine at all times.
West Ham players and fans alike are still very much aware of the 6-1 drubbing West Ham received from City in last season’s Capital Cup but Hammers manager Sam Allardyce remains upbeat.
“They’re a fabulous side, but if we’re going to get anything from them it’s now, while we’re in form. As well as them coming back from a Champions League away game.
“We’re in good, confident form but for me it’s about getting the players to their top level. We’ll have to play like we did [in the 3-1 win] against Liverpool, probably even better. We’ll have to work hard and make sure we contain their fantastic front line especially.” said Allardyce.
City’s Frank Lampard is a doubt to make a return to his former club with a thigh injury picked up against Spurs, while Samir Nasri remains out with a groin problem.
West Ham received a double boost on Thursday with the news that Cheikhou Kouyate (groin) and James Tomkins (thigh) were available, although Mauro Zarate (knock) and Guy Demel (thigh) are doubtful.
Join The Roar from 10:45pm (AEDT) for live scores and commentary.
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