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PEP Guardiola and Manchester Metropolis marched on in the direction of the Premier League title with a twentieth consecutive victory and defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias their unlikely objective heroes.
It was a sub-par displaying from Guardiola’s champions-elect, simply three days after a Champions League win in Budapest, however nonetheless sufficient to open a 13-point hole on the high of the desk.
Stones was the unlikely match-winner, after 68 minutes, when he swept in an excellent 12-yard end from Riyad Mahrez’s cross.
The win recorded a twenty seventh consecutive unbeaten recreation for Guardiola’s staff, one in need of the membership file he set himself in 2017.
And towards an in-form West Ham staff, it was an additional indication that even when enjoying beneath par as Metropolis most certainly had been right here, they’re presently unstoppable, definitely at dwelling and probably even in Europe.
It regarded like being one more routine win for Guardiola’s aspect when defender Dias headed them right into a Twenty ninth-minute lead.
The objective got here following a cleared Metropolis nook which ended with the ball on the ft of Kevin De Bruyne who delivered a panoramic deep cross together with his left foot which was headed dwelling by the Portuguese defender.
However West Ham have recorded their very own current dominant run that has taken them into the thick of the race for a Champions League spot.
And two minutes earlier than the interval, they had been stage as Michail Antonio turned the primary opposition participant to attain on the Etihad since Mo Salah at first of November.
Metropolis contributed to their very own downfall when Sergio Aguero gave the ball away from their very own throw-in and the Hammers countered by Jesse Lingard and Pablo Fornals.
Their passes performed in Vladimir Coufal whose right-wing cross was turned goalwards by Lingard for Antonio to show the ball in on the far put up.
However this was no fluke from David Moyes’ aspect. Simply 5 minutes earlier, Antonio had scuffed a shot towards the foot of the put up after Lingard’s cross was missed by Fornals.
Republic of Eire goalkeeper Darren Randolph had a uncommon begin forward of the World Cup qualifiers filling in for the injured Lukasz Fabianski however appeared to undergo a knock in the course of the recreation, though he continued to full-time.
Certainly, they even had an opportunity within the 94th minute to stage when Issa Diop headed an excellent opening extensive however Metropolis’s relentless run wouldn’t be ended.
Ederson 6; Walker 6, Stones 9, Dias 8, Zinchenko 6; De Bruyne 7, Fernandinho 7, Gundogan 6 (Rodri 89); Mahrez 7, Aguero 5 (Jesus 60, 7), Torres 5 (Foden 65, 6). Sterling, Steffen, Laporte, Silva, Mendy, Cancelo.
Randolph 6; Diop 6, Dawson 7, Cresswell 6; Coufal 7, Soucek 6, Rice 6, Johnson 5 (Benrahma 84); Fornals 6, Lingard 8; Antonio 7 (Bowen 84). Balbuena, Lanzini, Noble, Martin, Trott, Odubeko.
M Oliver 7
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