West Ham United v Manchester City – Head-to-Head

After an amazing summer with Haaland arriving and City’s Chloe Kelly scoring the winner for England’s Women at the Euros, the Premier League returns with the blues visiting our second favourite team, West Ham United.

Here, we look at the head-to-head statistics between the two sides, select some random information about this fixture and look at some of the players that have featured for both sides.

It’s anyone’s game

As football matches go, particularly with the blues, one team is usually dominant. But this fixture throws that logic out of the window. City won the first ever fixture at West Ham, 2-1 in April 1924, but won one of the following 12 visits. In fact, it wasn’t until 2006 that the blues started dominating the fixture.

City have lost just twice in the Premier League since that 1-0 win in December 2006, ending a dismal run of five defeats and one draw.

The blues have faced West Ham 53 times in the league and have come away with maximum points on 16 occasions. However, they have walked away empty-handed 24 times. Not a good omen for the opening day of the season. On the bright side, Sunday’s meeting will be the third time these two have met at the home of the Hammers on the opening day in the Premier League. The first was when Sven Goran Erikssen took his new City side to Upton Park in August 2007, with the blues winning 2-0. The second was a recently as 2019, when Pep’s men ran out 5-0 winners.

In even better news, City are unbeaten in seven Premier League matches and have lost just once in the league since 2009, that’s 12 visits and one defeat. The blues have a four-match winning streak in the Premier League between February 2017 and August 2019. It’s a run that saw the blues hit 17 goals and concede just one. If you include the 5-0 FA Cup win January 2017, it’s an even longer run.

But that doesn’t detract from the fact that the blues longest losing streak is five matches, however that was between February 1925 and December 1930. Throw in a goalless draw in 1932 and two more defeats extends City’s winless run to seven matches, their longest streak without a win.

Defences not on top

Goals are a staple for this fixture (if you discount last season’s League Cup match). There have been 168 goals in this match, with City scoring 82 and West Ham hitting 86, so a fairly even stats between the two in all competitions.

City have kept just 17 clean sheets in all competitions while failing to score on 18 occasions, so it’s fair to say these two like scoring and don’t mind conceding the odd goal either. A stat backed up by the fact there has only been six goalless draws between them, with two of those in cup competitions.

For the superstitious

If you’re superstitious, you’ll be delighted to know that City have visited West Ham just three times in the month of August and won them all. On 27^th August 1977, the blue won 1-0, and 30 years later, City won 2-0 at Upton Park. Then 12 years after that, the blues ran away 5-0 winners, so relax, it’s fine. Although we may be due to drop points in August…just kidding! Or am I?

Pointless facts

West Ham won their opening day fixture last season for the first time in five seasons, while City lost their first match for the first time since 2006.

City’s 1-0 loss at Spurs is only their second defeat on the road since losing 2-0 at Manchester United in March 2021, and only their second away league defeat in two seasons.

West Ham’s record of 14 opening day defeats is a Premier League record.

Ominously for the Hammers, Jack Grealish has three goals and two assists in matches against West Ham and Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick on his Bundesliga debut for Dortmund.

Erling’s old man Alfie played his last City game against the Hammers in 2001.

West Ham scored against every Premier League team at home last season.

Played for both

Here’s a selection of stars that have featured for both City and West Ham in recent years.

Ian Bishop and Trevor Morley went to West Ham in exchange for winger Mark Ward in 1989. Four of Ward’s six matches came against Millwall (1 league, 1 FA Cup and two replays).

Frank Lampard came to City for a season from West Ham, with a somewhat successful career at Chelsea in between.

Eyal Berkovic came to City in 2001 and spent three seasons at Upton Park.

Steve Lomas (remember him?) went to West Ham in 1997 after spending six years at Maine Road.

City fan Trevor Sinclair finally made his move to City, joining the blues from the Hammers in 2003. He spent five years at West Ham after joining from QPR, who beat City to his signature in 1993. We say beat City to his signature, it was more the case of Peter Swales and his magically locked wallet refusing to pay Blackpool what they wanted.

Paolo Wanchope joined City from the Hammers in 2000.

Marc-Vivian Foe spent a season at West Ham and a season at the blues.

Former City boss Stuart Pearce came to the blues from the Hammers in 2001.

Goalkeeper David ‘calamity’ James left Upton Park to join the blues in 2004.

Defenders Tal Ben-Haim and Wayne Bridge were both on loan at West Ham before making a permanent move to Manchester.

Craig Bellamy led the line at City and linked up with another former Hammer Carlos Tevez to start the City revolution.

And who can forget the absolute legend that is Pablo Zabaleta. After spending nine glorious years at City, Zabba joined the Hammers on a free transfer in 2017 and scored his last goal for City against his new club in April 2018, as the blues won 4-1.