Man City 1-2 West Ham: Five talking points from the Etihad
Sunday 20 September 2015 12:15, UK
West Ham shocked Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad on Saturday, thanks to goals from Victor Moses and Diafra Sakho.
City's £54m-man Kevin De Bruyne struck back for the hosts but they were unable to find an equaliser.
The result brings City's perfect start to the season to an end - and means West Ham have now beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and City in their three away games in 2015/16.
We round up the key talking points from the Etihad...
West Ham do it again
After shocking Arsenal and Liverpool, West Ham have completed a remarkable trio of away wins by ending Manchester City's 100 per cent start to the Premier League season with a 2-1 win at the Etihad.
Only three other teams have ever won on the road at Arsenal, Liverpool and City in a Premier League season. The last team to pull off that treble was Chelsea in 2005/06 - and they went on to win the title.
Saturday's win moves West Ham up to second in the table. But while even the staunchest West Ham fan will keep dreams of emulating that Jose Mourinho side on hold for now, Niall Quinn says the unity of the squad is propelling the Hammers to new heights.
"I love the way Bilic has got this team to operate as one," Quinn told Sky Sports. "The work rate, the belief in themselves and the hard, nitty-gritty part of the game, they did so well as a group. This is the most incredible performance to win these three matches away from home."
West Ham's victory was also their first-ever win at the Etihad. But it didn't come easy.
Man City had more attempts, possession and touches in the opposition area than they have in any game this season. West Ham recorded season-lows in all three of those categories.
"This was a different game to the one at the Emirates and the one at Anfield," Hammers boss Slaven Bilic said. "This was much, much harder.
"In the second half they created, pressed us and were the better team, to be fair. If they'd equalised it would have been deservedly."
City's defence breached at last
Manchester City had gone 572 minutes without conceding a Premier League goal when Victor Moses unleashed his long-range drive on Saturday. Diafra Sakho's second-half strike meant City had conceded as many goals in one game as they had in their previous nine league home games.
However, the manner of the goals conceded were a cause for concern - especially as they followed the midweek Champions League defeat to Juventus, where defensive errors proved costly.
"We conceded two easy goals in the first half. We must be more concentrated," Manuel Pellegrini lamented after the game. "We know [West Ham] are dangerous at set-pieces. We knew they have good players who have good shots at the edge of the box."
City started the game really well - but they forgot about their defensive duty.
Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry was equally unimpressed. "City started the game really well - but they forgot about their defensive duty," he said, before criticising Yaya Toure's failure to pick up Dimitri Payet in the build-up to Moses' opener.
Niall Quinn agreed - and suggested Winston Reid would not have had such a clear sight at the corner which led to West Ham's second had City captain Vincent Kompany been on the field.
"We spoke in such glowing terms about them for the last few weeks but in the last few days we've seen the old frailties come back," Quinn told Sky Sports.
De Bruyne impresses
Manuel Pellegrini wasn't interested in discussing the quality of Kevin De Bruyne's performance with Sky Sports after the game. "I'm not satisfied by one player, I'm satisfied when the team win," he said. But the Belgian's performance, albeit in a losing cause, deserves credit.
De Bruyne rifled in a superb debut City goal to spark his team's charge for an equaliser. The first touch and drive into the bottom corner from outside the box was the hallmark of a £54m player.
The summer signing was a threat throughout. Just nine minutes in an excellent through ball sent Sergio Aguero through on goal, before a cross from the by-line was ballooned over the bar by the City striker just before half-time.
Only Fernandinho made more than the 77 passes De Bruyne attempted in West Ham's half. His efforts may have not counted for much in the end on Saturday but City fans will be encouraged by their new star's start.
West Ham's defence stands firm
"It was a little bit nervy at the end - they've got some fantastic players - but we managed to hold on. There are some tired heroes in our changing room today." West Ham captain Mark Noble summed up the effort and work rate his team-mates delivered to pull off victory at Manchester City.
The hosts had 72.3 per cent possession, the average position of eight of their players after 90 minutes was in the West Ham half, and just 13.7 per cent of the game was played in City's final third.
Yet, despite City raining in 27 attempts on goal, West Ham stood firm. Adrian pulled off eight saves, including an incredible reflex effort to tip Nicolas Otamendi's header over the bar, and centre-back Winston Reid made 20 clearances - more than any player has made in a Premier League fixture this season.
"It was such an effort by them you could have given 11 man of the match awards," Quinn told Sky Sports.
Payet impresses again
As well as West Ham's commitment, resolve and defensive work, there was also the skill of Dimitri Payet on show. The summer signing from Marseille has had a hand in five goals in six Premier League games this season (three goals, two assists) and was at the heart of West Ham's best attacking play on Saturday.
"He has been amazing since the beginning of the season," said fellow Frenchman Henry. "They allowed him to be in the pocket all day. And if you allow a guy of his quality to have time and space and let him put his head up, you are in trouble. I don't care who you are, you're in trouble."
Quinn was equally impressed and reckons West Ham's forwards will continue to profit from Payet's creativity throughout the season.
"Every time he gets it his head is up," Quinn said. "He's looking for an adventurous moment, something that's going to develop. He's not just laying it off.
"It must be a pleasure to be a front player knowing that when he gets it something great is going to happen. On the ball, he's a joy to watch."
