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Manchester City is currently going through one of its most challenging phases since the Abu Dhabi United Group took over. The team, nearing the end of its cycle, has been struggling to bounce back from a significant downturn in form. Before their recent 2-0 victory over Leicester, City had won only one of their last 13 matches, a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest earlier this month.
Following that, they drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace and then suffered three consecutive losses: 2-0 to Juventus in the Champions League, 2-1 to Manchester United, and 2-1 to Aston Villa in the Premier League. Their win against Leicester, following a 1-1 draw with Everton on Boxing Day, has lifted them to 6th place in the league.
West Ham, a team that has often contended for European spots, has underperformed this season. Currently in 13th place, they are 8 points behind the top 6. However, there have been signs of improvement, with a four-match unbeaten streak. This included wins over Wolverhampton (2-1), draws against Bournemouth (1-1) and Brighton (1-1), and a 1-0 victory over Southampton on Boxing Day. Unfortunately, their progress was interrupted by a heavy 5-0 loss to league leaders Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola is struggling to get the best out of his squad due to several key absences. Ruben Dias, Bobb, and Rodri are all unavailable, while Kyle Walker, Nunes, Ederson, Jack Grealish, and John Stones are doubtful for the upcoming match. Erling Haaland, who had been in a slump before his goal against Leicester, had scored only once in seven matches and missed a penalty against Everton. His goal should help lift his confidence. Jeremy Doku, who has scored twice, has also been underwhelming. Kevin De Bruyne (2 goals, 2 assists) and Bernardo Silva (2 goals, 4 assists) have shown signs of a dip in form, despite Silva scoring against Everton.
Prediction
Manchester City has focused on a solid defense lately, conceding only four goals in their last 21 home league matches. Fourteen of those 17 games saw fewer than 3.5 goals. West Ham has shown a similar pattern, with 17 of their last 21 away games also producing fewer than 3.5 goals. As a result, this match is expected to have three goals or fewer.
Prediction: Manchester City 1 – 1 West Ham.
