Manchester City vs. West Ham United: Match Preview, Predictions, and Starting Lineups
Match Preview: Manchester City vs. West Ham United
Manchester City is set to face West Ham United on Saturday afternoon, with the Cityzens eager to maintain pressure on their Premier League title challengers, Arsenal.
Recent Form
City comes into this match with a strong momentum, having claimed six consecutive victories in various competitions. They are climbing the ranks in both the Premier League and the Champions League, also securing a place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup. After a shaky start to the season, Pep Guardiola’s squad appears to have found their rhythm.
A win against West Ham would temporarily place Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, ahead of Arsenal, who will face a challenging away game against Everton. City’s recent form has significantly closed the gap as they eye their ninth league title.
Historically, City has had the upper hand in encounters against West Ham, winning the last six matches and scoring a total of 18 goals in those fixtures. It has been over a decade since City last lost to the Hammers in a Premier League match.
West Ham is currently struggling at the lower end of the table, sitting in the relegation zone. Although the arrival of Nuno Espírito Santo has brought some stability, the team is still finding it difficult to secure victories as they deal with the threat of relegation.
Here’s a closer look at the upcoming fixture.
Schedule and Match Details
Kick-Off Information
- Location: Manchester, England
- Stadium: Etihad Stadium
- Date: Saturday, December 20
- Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. GMT / 10.30 a.m. ET / 7.30 a.m. PT
- Referee: Paul Tierney
- VAR Official: Alex Chilowicz
Previous Encounters
Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Matches)
- Manchester City: 5 wins
- West Ham United: 0 wins
- Draws: 0
Last Meeting:
- Manchester City 4–1 West Ham United (January 4, 2025) – Premier League
Team Form Analysis
Current Form (All Competitions)
| Teams | Last Matches |
|---|---|
| Man City | Man City 2–0 Brentford (December 17, 2025) |
| Crystal Palace 0–3 Man City (December 14, 2025) | |
| Real Madrid 1–2 Man City (December 10, 2025) | |
| Man City 3–0 Sunderland (December 6, 2025) | |
| Fulham 4–5 Man City (December 2, 2025) | |
| West Ham | West Ham 2–3 Aston Villa (December 14, 2025) |
| Brighton 1–1 West Ham (December 7, 2025) | |
| Man Utd 1–1 West Ham (December 4, 2025) | |
| West Ham 0–2 Liverpool (November 30, 2025) | |
| Bournemouth 2–2 West Ham (November 22, 2025) |
Broadcast Information
Where to Watch
| Country | TV Channel/Stream |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Not televised (radio coverage on BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio 5 Live, and others) |
| United States | USA Network, Telemundo Deportes, NBC Sports App, UNIVERSO |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada |
| Mexico | Max Mexico, TNT Sports |
Manchester City Team News
Pep Guardiola confirmed that none of the injured players will be back for the encounter against West Ham. However, some may return for the next game against Nottingham Forest. Rodri and Mateo Kovačić remain sidelined, leaving Nico González to take on the holding midfield role. Jérémy Doku is also absent, alongside Oscar Bobb, who suffered an injury during the Cup match against Brentford.
John Stones is out with a thigh injury, and Omar Marmoush along with Rayan Aït-Nouri are unavailable due to their duties with the national teams at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Guardiola has made recent adjustments to the lineup but is expected to retain Nico O’Reilly, Nico González, and Rayan Cherki for this weekend’s match.
Predicted Lineup: Manchester City
Formation: 4-1-4-1
Starting XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; González; Silva, Cherki, Foden, Savinho; Haaland.
West Ham Team News
West Ham has no current fitness issues with Niclas Füllkrug rejoining the squad. However, they will miss two full-backs, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf, who have left to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Oliver Scarles and Kyle Walker-Peters are likely replacements for the missing players, with the possibility of Nuno opting for a five-man defense at the Etihad. Max Kilman could be reintroduced to the squad, and Jarrod Bowen is expected to lead the attack.
Predicted Lineup: West Ham United
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Starting XI: Areola; Mavropanos, Kilman, Todibo; Walker-Peters, Potts, Magassa, Scarles; Fernandes, Paquetá; Bowen.
Match Prediction
Manchester City has consistently overpowered West Ham in their previous encounters, typically scoring three or more goals. With the likes of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Cherki in top form, City’s attack presents a significant challenge for West Ham’s defense.
The Hammers have struggled to create scoring opportunities against top competition and may find it difficult to challenge City. Bowen’s performance will be crucial, but isolation in the final third may hinder West Ham’s chances.