Man City vs. West Ham: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream & TV Info

Manchester City and West Ham United go head-to-head on Sunday in a crucial match for Manuel Pellegrini and his side. 

City have lost six of their last eight games, a run that has seen them slip to fourth and in danger of ending the season outside of the Champions League places. It's been a disastrous few weeks for Pellegrini, whose position at the club is becoming untenable. A failure to finish inside the top four would surely see him leave the Etihad before the end of his contract. 

West Ham, too, are on a poor run of form, having won just once in their last six league games. They now occupy 10th place, having been in the top four heading into Christmas. 

Date: Sunday, April 18

Kick-Off: 1:30 p.m. BST, 8:30 a.m. ET

TV Listings: Live on Sky Sports 1 (U.K.)

Live Stream: Sky Go (U.K.)

Form Guide (last five league results)

Jon Super/Associated Press

City

Manchester United 4-2 City

Crystal Palace 2-1 City

City 3-0 West Brom 

Burnley 1-0 City

City 2-0 Leicester 

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

West Ham 

West Ham 1-1 Stoke City

Leicester 2-1 West Ham 

West Ham 1-0 Sunderland

Arsenal 3-0 West Ham 

West Ham 0-1 Chelsea 

Predicted Formations

City

Pellegrini will be without the services of his captain, Vincent Kompany, who has a groin problem and could miss the remainder of the season, while Gael Clichy, Wilfried Bony, Stevan Jovetic and James Milner are also out. 

Bleacher Report - Formation Builder

West Ham 

Diafra Sakho misses out for Sam Allardyce's side after he sustained a thigh injury in the game with Stoke. James Tomkins and Andy Carroll are also out. 

Bleacher Report - Formation Builder

Players to Watch 

City: Eliaquim Mangala 

With Kompany facing another spell on the sidelines, the stage is set for Eliaquim Mangala to come into the side. The former Porto man, City's big-money summer signing, has been in and out of the side this season, often playing with different defensive partners. 

It's meant he's failed to really settle. He now has a big opportunity to establish himself in the team before the end of the season. He's sometimes looked nervous and unconvincing; that needs to change. He certainly has the talent. 

Jon Super/Associated Press

West Ham: Stewart Downing 

It's been interesting watching the development of Stewart Downing at West Ham. Often seen as exclusively a winger in a 4-4-2 system, this season, in particular, Downing has shown he has plenty more to offer than just deliveries from out wide. 

He's been given more freedom under Allardyce, the freedom to roam and move infield to try to create chances. City will need to make sure he is shackled. 

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Key Battle: Jesus Navas vs. Aaron Cresswell 

Jesus Navas is a Pellegrini favourite, with his pace and ability to stretch the game a key facet of the City attack. His crossing is often criticised, but the speed with which he can carry the ball often scares full-backs. 

This is why Aaron Cresswell will be wary. The former Ipswich player has had a fine season, but dealing with Navas and Pablo Zabaleta, if he starts, down City's right is never easy, particularly at the Etihad. 

Jon Super/Associated Press

Odds (via Odds Shark)

City: -303

West Ham: +686

Draw: +445

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.