Manchester City vs. West Ham: Winners and Losers from Premier League Game
West Ham United held out for an improbable third away win in the Premier League this season as they beat Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
A fast start saw the Hammers lead early on through Victor Moses' long-range shot, with Diafra Sakho scoring the second on the half-hour mark after a corner wasn't cleared.
Kevin De Bruyne pulled one back for City before the break, but despite a host of substitutions and all the second half pressure, Manuel Pellegrini's men couldn't find a way through for the equaliser.
Here are all our winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Kevin De Bruyne
1 of 5
As far as Premier League full debuts go, this wasn't bad at all for Kevin De Bruyne. In fact, he was the best player on the park. By far.
The attacking midfielder was earmarked for a wide role from the start but ended up playing the No. 10 role after David Silva was injured in the warm-up. He was City's biggest attacking threat with his movement down both channels, his one-touch distribution and, of course, a fantastic strike before half-time.
De Bruyne dictated play throughout as City dominated and sought an equaliser, and his ability to pick passes and use spaces for his team-mates saw the home side overrun West Ham at times—only the final ball from his colleagues was lacking.
Loser: Joe Hart
2 of 5
Joe Hart had kept five clean sheets before this game in the Premier League, but two goals conceded in the first half-hour of the match put an end to that and ultimately cost his team the match.
The England stopper will certainly feel he could have done more with the first goal, with a 25-yard strike from Moses beating him at his near post. The second came off a corner, which wasn't exactly Hart's fault, but it certainly wasn't dealt with by the 'keeper—despite bouncing around inside his six-yard box.
A couple of other saves during the match stopped City's problems getting any bigger, but this wasn't the best overall display.
Winner: Adrian
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At the opposite end, Adrian played a blinder in goal for West Ham United.
He was rash in running out of his area early on in trying to prevent Sergio Aguero having a clear run on goal, but after that, he was instrumental in keeping the home side down to one goal, making several top-class saves and getting a bit of luck in his game, too.
Adrian's biggest intervention came when he tipped over a late Nicolas Otamendi header following a corner, but the more routine blocks and punches clear were just as important.
Loser: Sergio Aguero
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Sergio Aguero was a constant danger throughout the game with his movement off the ball and willingness to dip out of the front line, but you expect that from one of the world's best strikers.
Where his talent deserted him this time was instead in his touch and finishing, with the Argentina striker consistently failing to hit the target with his shots and appearing rushed and flustered at times instead of his usual composed self.
Rounding the goalkeeper early on should have brought a goal, but Aguero's shot was off target.
Winner: Yaya Toure
5 of 5
He couldn't find the breakthrough, but Yaya Toure was simply monstrous in the game, especially in the second half.
Of course, part of that was West Ham allowing City to have the huge majority of possession in the latter period, but the way Toure used the ball and rampaged through space was all his own work.
Countless times he was clattered into, blocked at the last minute or was an inch off target with a shot—he just didn't get the luck he needed.
If anyone was likely to find a second goal for City it was Toure, but he was denied time after time by Adrian and the equally excellent Winston Reid.
