The Big Match: can 28-1 Hammers cause a huge upset at the Etihad?

Premier League: Manchester City v West Ham United

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League, 4.30pm Sunday

Match odds

1-9 Manchester City, 28 West Ham, 10-1 draw

Form

Manchester City are second in the Premier League, 22 points behind runaway leaders Liverpool, and take on West Ham having failed to score in successive matches for the first time under Pep Guardiola.

Both of those fixtures - against Manchester United and Tottenham - ended in losses, although the derby defeat was not too costly as City still progressed to the EFL Cup final on aggregate.

However, it has been a Premier League season to forget for City with the 2-0 reverse at Spurs being their sixth top-flight defeat of the campaign.

West Ham arrive at the Etihad in the Premier League relegation zone after taking just two points from their last five matches and they have lost six of their last nine games in all competitions since Christmas.

The Hammers' failure to beat Brighton after being 3-1 up last week could be a major blow with West Ham's next seven matches being against City (away), Liverpool (away), Southampton (home), Arsenal (away), Wolves (home), Tottenham (away) and Chelsea (home).

Team news

Raheem Sterling is set to miss out for City, while fellow winger Leroy Sane is still building up his match fitness. Oleksandr Zinchenko is suspended after his red card at Spurs but Pep Guardiola is hopeful Aymeric Laporte and Benjamin Mendy will be available.

Jack Wilshere is sidelined and Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson need to be assessed. Jarrod Bowen could make his debut.

The tactical battle

Last season's meeting between the clubs at the Etihad could offer decent insight into the way this game will be played despite West Ham now being under David Moyes rather than Manuel Pellegrini.

Sergio Aguero's penalty settled the game but City had 20 shots to West Ham's two (7-1 on target) and they also had 76 per cent possession.

Expect attack versus defence and West Ham may even settle for a narrow defeat as goal difference could come into play in a close relegation battle.

Verdict

This should be a comprehensive success for City, but they are a team who go to sleep defensively and they have kept just two clean sheets in their last 12 matches at the Etihad. One of those shutouts came against a Fulham side playing with ten men for 84 minutes.

With that in mind, the speedy Michail Antonio could be worth a nibble in the goalscorer markets to grab a consolation for the Hammers after he had six shots against Brighton. 4-1 City.

Key stats

• Man City have won their last eight matches against West Ham by an aggregate score of 28-3
• City have failed to score in successive matches for the first time since March 2016
• The Citizens have conceded first in six of their last eight home fixtures against top-flight opponents
• West Ham have lost six of their last eight league away matches

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