Game Week 38 Predictions: City to march on against Westham

Ilkay Gundogan was the star when City hosted the Hammers in the revers fixture, how much influence will he have on the game on Sunday? (Photo credit: Premierleague.com)

Westham vs Manchester City

The London Stadium

2:00pm

The title parade will not start after this game but it can firmly place City’s right hand on the trophy pending the time the Kops play their next game in midweek, and that makes this fixture a very important one for the champions.

You can easily tell how angry the Cityzens are from the way they play and put teams to the sword, the rebirth of Kevin De Bruyne and the class in their transitions, any team that faces City will pay for their champions league hurts, they’re taking no prisoners.

The Hammers will look back on the season and feel some pains too. You can’t blame them, they put all their eggs in the champions league basket and now they must win their remaining two games, including this one against the champions-in-waiting, and then hope Manchester United loses their final game.

Westham already beat City this season, David Moyes’ side denied City another Carabao Cup, which they have turned to their birthrights but that is inconsequential for the Hammers, they can return to the Europa League if they’re lucky but they have to make their luck and it starts here.

In the title conversation, Pep Guardiola’s side can afford to lose a game and still win the title, the massive +7 goals difference on Liverpool can only be bettered by what they do in their remaining game, even if Westham locks them where they don’t want to be, the title is still theirs to lose.

Westham must be brave for them to earn anything at all in this game, they can’t afford to be stupid however, they must defend deep, together, and without mistakes. Opportunities will always come, and when they do, they must take them.

Jarrod Bowen is on top of his game, he can be the Hammers’ secret weapon as well as Said Benrahma, they can hurt City with pace and drive themselves back to Europa League contention, but they will need City to have a bad day for any miracle to happen.

Verdict: City to win