Manchester City

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Man City and West Ham.

Here are some of your comments:

City fans

Alan: The score doesn't reflect the game although I'm very glad to see us score a few goals! We are still wide open on the counter-attack and are playing slowly. It is frustrating but a win is a win. Onwards and upwards, Blues.

Susan: It was heartening to see City working together as a determined team and claiming the three points. The fans will be left feeling hopeful that City might start to climb the table and back into the top four.

Derek: An improved performance, but we are still well off our best. We are still looking very vulnerable to quick counter-attacks. Josko Gvardiol is still giving wingers way too much time and space to attack him.

Terrance: I feel our season is over. Our long-term the future is secure, apart from the elephant in the room which is City vs Premier League. Short-term, I hope that we can bring in two young energetic midfielders. Perhaps the FA Cup is a possibility for us this season. No disrespect to Salford City but I'm looking forward to the fourth-round draw.

West Ham fans

Simon: Another game, another starting XI, another heavy defeat. We are just wide open every game. I don't regret David Moyes going, but this can't continue.

Richard: We need to be so much better. Our defence don't seem to know what is happening or what they are doing. The team isn't the same without Jarrod Bowen and we need to take our chances when we create them.

Zalvador: Niclas Fullkrug was due to be hooked but then he scored and Julen Lopetegui changed his mind and took off our best player Mohammed Kudus instead. That was a big, big mistake. I don't understand his decisions and I'm fed up with his excuses. He should swallow his pride and admit he has made a huge mistake. Get Will Still in now.

Iain: It's not the fact that we lose, it's the manner. There has been no improvement on last season at all and the team are far too lethargic, which leads me to believe that the whole club needs a shake-up, not just a new manager. Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez and Lucas Paqueta are way below par - they are costing us points and need to go. Get the youth development right and then invest in the right players that will make a difference.

Martin: Regularly conceding three or more goals is relegation form. It is very fortunate that there are three worse teams than us this season!

Sarah Mulkerrins
Final Score reporter

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Another step towards recapturing the aura of invincibility for Manchester City.

Back-to-back wins for the first time since October, both built on summer signing Savinho. The Brazilian got his first Premier League goal in City's much-needed win over Leicester City last week, and he was at the heart of the opening three goals against West Ham.

Erling Haaland was particularly grateful to the winger in his celebrations.

While the victory last week was all about nervous relief, there was more of a calm ease in the manner of this win.

The sharpness and fluidity in attack was there, especially on the break, but what will still concern Pep Guardiola is his side getting turned over.

West Ham threatened often and, had they made more of their 17 shots, the story could have been so different.

A similar tale to Leicester's pressure last week, the test now for Manchester City will be how they hold up under stronger and more clinical attacks.

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Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has praised Savinho's "energy and confidence" in the 4-1 win over West Ham, which saw Pep Guardiola's side win successive games for the first time since October.

Speaking on Match of the Day, Richards said: "I really liked him on this left-hand side. Normally we have seen him play on the right-hand side in a sort of inverted position. He can really hold his width well.

"He just has that confidence. For someone who is only 20 years old, you expect his form is going to be inconsistent at times, but against West Ham everything really worked for him.

"He gets a little bit lucky at times, but you have got to be in the right areas and that is exactly what he did throughout the game.

"We have seen City's wingers in the past sort of stuttering, but it was nice to see his energy and his confidence.

"His early crosses are what Erling Haaland has been yearning for, so that he can go into the back post and wait for a wonderful delivery.

"At times, we saw him coming into that number 10 position as well. He has a lovely weighted ball but he is not just happy with that, he also wants to get into the box and make a difference."

Catch up on Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Crystal Palace 1-1 Chelsea

• Brighton 1-1 Arsenal

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Manchester City have won successive Premier League games for the first time since October and they have netted four goals in a league game for the first time since August against Ipswich Town.

Erling Haaland has scored nine goals against West Ham United for Manchester City, all coming in the Premier League. The striker has only scored more goals against RB Leipzig (12) in his top-flight club career in all competitions.

Four of Savinho's five Premier League assists this season have been for Erling Haaland, the joint-most from one player to another in the competition this term.

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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day following the win: "It is happier to win but we are still not like we were, for different reasons. The result will help. We struggled, but it is a relief.

"There were glimpses of brilliance. The work ethic was unbelievable, but still not the composure. We accelerate everything.

"We have struggled with results recently but the last two victories are good and we did not lose for three games.

"I would say a month and half [of poor form] compared to eight years is not bad."

On Savinho: "He was brilliant. He is one of the few players that is fresh."

On having the clinical touch: "Absolutely. We were lucky with the first goal. They were better in the first minutes, we could have gone 0-1 or 0-2.

"The second goal helped us. It was an incredible goal but we are still not like we were."

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Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has been speaking to Sky Sports about the home win: "It is a little step. In moments we played good but I think it was much better against Leicester. We lost some energy but there were some improvements, so that is alright."

On the supporters being nervous: "I don't know why. I can understand that we are not up to the level, but they should support us because the effort is there and we are still winning 4-1.

"I don't understand what is happening. The team gave maximum effort. The level has to be higher, but we understand that."

On their form improving: "We understand a bit more what we have done in the last 10 years and how hard it is. At the moment, we are a bit below that. We are working really hard and the team is coming back fitness wise.

"There were moments we played well, other moments less. It is a bit of an improvement but we understand it still has to be better.

"You don't put yourself down too much. We have not been at the level this year. Everybody said: 'City are winning all the time, it must be easy' - but it's not."

On speculation around his future: "I don't care. I'm just trying to get back to my level. I feel every week I am getting better. I can play for 90 minutes now. It has been an uncomfortable couple of months with the injury."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Man City supporters - what did you make of the match?

West Ham fans - let us know your thoughts

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday, and we will bring you every moment.

• Tottenham v Newcastle (12:30)

• Aston Villa v Leicester

• Bournemouth v Everton

• Crystal Palace v Chelsea - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Man City v West Ham

• Southampton v Brentford

• Brighton v Arsenal (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all the action and reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 20, he takes on The Zutons frontman Dave McCabe, who supports Liverpool.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Jarrod Bowen's injury is a huge blow for West Ham because he has been their best player this season. I thought the Hammers' displays were picking up, but then they got absolutely demolished by Liverpool.

So, this feels like a good time for Manchester City to play them as they look to build on their win at Leicester.

That was not a particularly pretty performance but that part does not matter for Pep Guardiola's side at the moment.

It is all about taking small steps for City as they try to find some form again, so it was important for them to see Erling Haaland back on the scoresheet against the Foxes, and to keep their first clean sheet in five games.

This game might be a similar story in that City will have to scrap a bit, but again I expect them to get the job done.

McCabe's prediction: 3-0

We played West Ham the other day, and they weren't very good.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

As we enter a new calendar year and the halfway point of the season, the Opta Supercomputer has been busy making its predictions.

But who has the best chance of securing Champions League football next season?

With England given a 97.8% chance of finishing in the top two of Uefa's coefficients rankings and receiving a bonus place in next season's competition, it is highly likely to be a race to finish in the top five of the Premier League this campaign.

One team essentially guaranteed a Champions League spot season, according to the Supercomputer's simulations, is high-flying league leaders Liverpool (100%).

Following closely on their heels are Arsenal and Chelsea, who occupy second and fourthgoing into this weekend's fixtures, with a 99.8% and 91.7% chance of finishing in the top five respectively.

Despite their unprecedented drop-off in form over the past two months, Manchester City fans will be pleased to hear Opta still gives them a 89.1% chance of clinching the potential final Champions League spot next season.

It then becomes a hotly fought battle between two of the most in-form teams in the league right now.

Despite third-placed Nottingham Forest's incredible campaign so far, Nuno Espirito Santo's side still fall below Newcastle United in the predictions for fifth place - with a 33.6% chance compared to the Magpies' 44.6%.

Four teams still have an outside chance of getting that coveted spot, with Aston Villa (13.8%), Bournemouth (9.8%), Fulham (6.2%) and Tottenham (5.4%) in the race.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against West Ham (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• It will be a similar squad to the one that won at Leicester City with the bonus of Ederson who Guardiola expects to be available having trained this week.

• Centre-back Ruben Dias "is getting closer" to a return but Saturday's game comes too soon.

• He said the win over Leicester was "good for the mood" but added: "We are away from being consistent with results. We have another chance to get a victory [against West Ham], which will help in the future."

• On Savinho's confidence being boosted by his first goal for the club: "It is going to help. He is so young and it is his first season in England. I think he has played well but as he is so young, there are many things he can improve."

• He also said James McAtee's performance against the Foxes made him "believe that he should have more minutes" going forward. Guardiola added: "I have big respect for how he behaves in the locker room."

• On the possibility of January signings at City: "I don't know right now. Maybe we will sign or maybe we won't sign anyone. The club has to be wise. To add players in the situation that we are in, when there are many consistent injured players, then the club has to do it but I don't know if it will be possible."

• On Rodri's comments about aiming to be back before the end of the season: "Before the end of the season would be good but the target is for him to recover well and be ready for next season."

• He said it is not his business when asked about a possible contract extension for Kevin de Bruyne.

• In response to whether the playmaker needs to get back to a consistent level of fitness in order for a contract to be offered: "He's had problems in the last year and a half like many players, but when he is consistent and fit he is a really important player for us. A decisive player for us. But it is about how he is going to perform for us until the end of the season, the club, his age and many other things, so I think the club has to think about it."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi is only behind Rodri when it comes to the best holding midfielders in the world, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.

Liverpool came close to signing the 25-year-old European Championship winner in the summer but the deal never came to fruition.

With 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri out for the season through injury, Manchester City are also understood to have an interest in the Spain international.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues podcast, Balague said: "Zumbimendi is perhaps, after Rodri, the best holding midfielder in world. That is what Liverpool decided, having gone through a lot of algorithms and numbers and knowing of his personality. Barcelona also wanted him.

"I have been told that everything was done with Liverpool, absolutely everything, and then he personally decided not to move to England. At Real Sociedad, you have to be seen to be saying 'no' at least once. But three months into the season I think he was like 'I am ready to go'.

"So when Manchester City want to look for a replacement for Rodri or someone to challenge him - I'm not sure they will do that having the first and second best in the world - but that is the guy to look for. Barcelona would like him but don't have the money, but I think he is absolutely ready to move now."

When asked why he feels Zubimendi is second to Rodri in that position, Balague replied: "It is about your understanding of it [the game] - how you limit your weaknesses.

"He is perhaps not the strongest or the fastest but [it is about] how he reads the game, how he identifies where the pressure has to go and how he leads the team."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

Manchester City and Liverpool are considering January bids for 26-year-old Dani Olmo after Barcelona failed to register the Spain midfielder. (Sky Sports Germany - in German), external

Meanwhile, City and England defender Kyle Walker, 34, is wanted by Saudi Arabian trio Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Manchester City are set to recall Issa Kabore from his loan spell with Benfica.

Kabore has never played a first-team game for Pep Guardiola's side, since joining the club from Belgian outfit Mechelen in 2020.

The Benfica switch was his fifth loan spell during his time at City and followed on from an impressive spell with Luton Town, where he made 24 Premier League appearances last term.

However, the Burkina Faso defender has made just three substitute appearances, totalling 11 minutes, for the Lisbon giants in the Primeira Liga this season.

Kabore's contract expires in 2027 and it is anticipated the 23-year-old will complete another loan switch before the transfer window closes.