West Ham United vs Manchester City preview

By Ric Turner, Fri 24 October 2014 14:29


West Ham United vs Manchester City previewPellegrini expects 'tough' game

West Ham United vs Manchester City

Date: 12.45pm, Saturday 25th October 2014

Venue: The Boleyn Ground, London

Referee: Martin Atkinson Assistants: S Child, P Kirkup Fourth Official: C Pawson

Odds: West Ham 5/1, draw 7/2, Manchester City 4/7

Tickets: Sold out

TV: BT Sport

West Ham United

Manager: Sam Allardyce

Squad (from): Adrian, Jaaskelainen, Spiegel, Collins, Cresswell, Demel, Jenkinson, O'Brien, Potts, Reid, Tomkins, Amalfitano, Downing, Jarvis, Kouyate, Lletget, Noble, Nolan, Poyet, Song, Cole, Sakho, Valencia, Vaz Te, Zarate.

Injured: Carroll

Doubtful: Demel, Zarate

Suspended: None

Form guide: WWLWDL

Manchester City

Manager: Manuel Pellegrini

Squad (from): Caballero, Hart, Wright, Boyata, Clichy, Demichelis, Kolarov, Kompany, Nastasic, Sagna, Zabaleta, Fernandinho, Fernando, Lampard, Milner, Navas, Silva, Sinclair, Toure, Aguero, Dzeko, Jovetic.

Injured: Nasri, Lampard

Doubtful: Fernandinho

Suspended: None

Form guide: WWWDDL

Frank Lampard and Samir Nasri are both unavailable for the trip to Upton Park, but City have no fresh injury concerns following the midweek game in Russia.

Despite recording four convincing wins against the Hammers last season, manager Manuel Pellegrini is expecting a difficult challenge against Sam Allardyce's rejuvenated side.

“Every Premier League game is difficult. West Ham are in a very good moment, playing attractive football so we know we will have a tough game as always.

“They have different players and are playing in a different way to last season. They brought in two important strikers who are doing well.

“They had an important win against Liverpool at home and have won their last two games so I am sure we will have a difficult rival.”

City's last away league game against West Ham ended in a 3-1 victory, with Sergio Aguero (2) and David Silva getting the goals. Overall City have won 47 of the 98 games played against West Ham, with 16 draws and 35 defeats.

Read the views from opposition fan James Jones here.

Prediction: West Ham 2 Manchester City 2