MANCHESTER CITY v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
ETIHAD STADIUM
SUNDAY 11 MAY 2014
KICK-OFF: 3PM
REFEREE: MARTIN ATKINSON
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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Introduction
• West Ham United face Manchester City for the fourth time this season when they play their final Barclays Premier League fixture of the campaign at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
• Sam Allardyce's side have lost all three meetings with the Citizens this season, including a 3-1 loss in the reverse fixture.
• The Hammers do however head into the season finale having produced a superb performance to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 at the Boleyn Ground last time out, securing their top flight status.
• West Ham can't finish any higher than their current placing of 12th, but could drop down to 15th if all results go against them on the final day.
• Exactly half of the Hammers 14 clean sheets this season have come away from home, a statistic they will be hoping to add to against the free-scoring hosts.
• Manuel Pellegrini's team will be crowned champions if they manage to beat West Ham on Sunday, with a draw also likely to be sufficient for the home side.
• The Sky Blues beat Aston Villa 4-0 at home on Wednesday night to rack up 100 goals for the league campaign and return to the summit of the Premier League.
• City have been formidable at the Etihad this season, winning 16 of their 18 league outings on home turf and losing just once, a 1-0 loss against Chelsea in February.
• Pellegrini's team have won four straight league matches and need only to deny West Ham a first away win over them since 2003 to secure the Premier League title.
Team news
West Ham United
• Marco Borriello is the Hammers only injury absentee, with the striker unavailable due to a calf injury.
• Fellow Italian Antonio Nocerino will play no part in the final match of the season after returning to AC Milan following a short loan spell.
Manchester City
• Sergio Aguero is a doubt for the season finale with a hamstring injury making him likely to miss the match.
• Jesus Navas and Matija Nastasic are both out of Sunday's match, with ankle and knee injuries respectively.
Last time out
West Ham United 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Barclays Premier League
3 May 2014
West Ham United: Adrian, Demel, Reid, Tomkins, McCartney, Taylor, Noble, Nolan (Jarvis 88), Diame, Downing, Carroll (C Cole 84)
Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Collins, Vaz Te, Armero, Nocerino
Goals: Kane og 27, Downing 44
Manchester City 4-0 Aston Villa
Barclays Premier League
7 May 2014
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Kompany, Demichelis, Toure, Milner (Jovetic 60), Garcia, Silva (Fernandinho 76), Nasri, Dzeko (Negredo 86)
Subs not used: Pantilimon, Richards, Lescott, Clichy
Goals: Dzeko 64, 72; Jovetic 89; Toure 90
Previous meeting
West Ham United 0-3 Manchester City
Capital One Cup semi-final second leg
21 January 2014
The last time West Ham met Manchester City, the game ended in a comprehensive victory which saw the Citizens reach the Capital One Cup final. Trailing 6-0 from the first leg it was always going to be an uphill task for the hosts who were powerless to prevent a further two goals from Alvaro Negredo and one from Sergio Aguero.
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Taylor, Johnson, Tomkins, Rat, Diarra, Nolan, Diame (Collison 89), Morrison, J Cole (Downing 47), Carroll (C Cole 46)
Subs not used: Adrian, Noble, Jarvis, Chambers
Manchester City: Pantilimon, Boyata, Lescott, Nastasic, Clichy, Navas (Kolarov 79), Garcia (Rodwell 63), Fernandinho, Lopes, Negredo, Aguero (Jovetic 65)
Subs not used: Hart, Zabaleta, Dzeko, Demichelis
Goals: Negredo 3, 59; Aguero 24
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
21 January 2014 - West Ham United 0-3 Manchester City (Capital One Cup)
8 January 2014 - Manchester City 6-0 West Ham United (Capital One Cup)
19 October 2013 - West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City
27 April 2013 - Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United
3 November 2012 - West Ham United 0-0 Manchester City
1 May 2011 - Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United
11 December 2010 - West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City?
Overall record v Manchester City (all competitions) W 35 D 16 L 46
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2012/13 Premier League 10th (46 points)
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points - relegated to Championship)
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Division One 4th (74 points)
Manchester City
2012/13 Premier League 2nd (78 points)
2011/12 Premier League 1st (89 points - champions)
2010/11 Premier League 3rd (71 points)
2009/10 Premier League 5th (67 points)?
2008/09 Premier League 10th (50 points)?
2007/08 Premier League 9th (55 points)?
2006/07 Premier League 14th (42 points)?
2005/06 Premier League 15th (43 points)?
2004/05 Premier League 8th (52 points)?
2003/04 Premier League 16th (41 points)?
Old boys
• Richard Wright signed for West Ham United in July 2007 following his release by Everton. The goalkeeper did not make a first-team appearance for the Hammers and, after being loaned to Southampton in March 2008, joined Ipswich Town in July of the same year. He is currently with Manchester City
• Other players to have turned out for both clubs include Tal Ben Haim, Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bridge, Ian Bishop, James Cumming, Justin Fashanu, Marc-Vivien Foe, Kevin Horlock, David James, Patrick Leonard, Steve Lomas, Trevor Morley, John Payne, Stuart Pearce, Trevor Sinclair, Carlos Tevez, Paulo Wanchope and Mark Ward.
• Former West Ham United centre-back Malcolm Allison joined Manchester City as assistant manager in 1965. Under the guidance of Allison and manager Joe Mercer, the club enjoyed a sustained period of success, winning the Division One title in 1968, the FA Cup in 1969 and both the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1970. After taking over from Mercer in 1971, Allison resigned in March 1973, later returning to Maine Road for a second spell in charge between 1979 and 1980.
• Allison's former West Ham United team-mate John Bond took charge of Manchester City following Allison's departure in October 1983, remaining in charge until February 1983.
• One-time West Ham United left-back Stuart Pearce took charge of Manchester City between March 2005 and May 2007.
Background
• West Ham United have played Manchester City on 97 occasions with the Hammers winning 35, losing 46 and 16 meetings ending as draws.
• The first meeting between the two sides came back on 26 April 1924 when a William Moore goal wasn't enough to prevent the Hammers losing 2-1 at the Boleyn Ground.
• West Ham United's biggest home and away victories over Manchester City both came in the same season - 1962/63. A 6-1 away Division One success on 8 September 1962 was followed by victory by the same scoreline here on 18 May 1963 - a result that relegated the Citizens.
• West Ham United have not scored more than one goal in any of their last 15 matches against Manchester City and have only done so once in the previous 20 meetings - a 2-1 FA Cup sixth-round win at the City of Manchester Stadium on 20 March 2006, when Dean Ashton netted both. Yossi Benayoun also started the game.
• Tony Cottee is the only West Ham United player ever to score a hat-trick against Manchester City. His treble fired the Hammers to a 3-0 Premier League win at the Boleyn Ground on 17 December 1994.
• Peter Dobing scored hat-tricks for Manchester City in both Division One meetings with West Ham United in 1961/62.
• Manchester City have twice recorded 4-0 victories at the Boleyn Ground - both in the old Division One on 24 March 1962 and 6 December 1969.
Referee
• Sunday's match referee will be Martin Atkinson.
• A referee since the age of 16, Atkinson was promoted to the Football League list of assistant referees in 1998. In 2000, Atkinson was promoted to the Select Group of assistant referees, allowing him to run the line in Premier League matches.
• Atkinson joined the National List of referees for the Football League at the start of the 2003/04 season before taking charge of his first Premier League fixture on 20 April 2005 when Manchester City entertained Birmingham City.
• Atkinson was the man in the middle at the 2006 FA Community Shield between Chelsea and Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. He also took charge of the 2008 FA Trophy final between Ebbsfleet United and Torquay United at Wembley Stadium.
• Atkinson is refereeing West Ham for the fourth time this season after taking charge of the Hammers 3-0 win over Fulham in the Barclays Premier League in November, the 5-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup with Budweiser and a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at the Boleyn Ground.
• Atkinson's assistants on the weekend will be Harry Lennard and Peter Kirkup, while the fourth official will be Neil Swarbrick.
General information
• The weather forecast for Sunday's game is cloudy with showers and temperatures around 11C (52F).
• The Club's allocation of tickets for Sunday's match are SOLD OUT.
• If travelling to the game via train from London, click here for travel updates.
Visiting Supporters Access to the Etihad Campus & Etihad Stadium
In order to ensure that service diversion works can be carried out safely, hoardings have been erected at the South end (away end) of the Etihad Stadium.
This impacts the amount of space immediately outside the visiting supporters entrances and may impact queuing and access through these entrances. To assist fans arriving at the stadium, both additional signage and staff will be in place.
To ensure that supporters enter the stadium via the correct entrances, we have implemented an additional soft ticket check upon arrival. We therefore advise all visiting supporters to arrive early to avoid any delays when entering the stadium.
You can find the Manchester City Visiting Supporter Guide here.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and Manchester City look forward to welcoming you to the Etihad Stadium.
Etihad Stadium Tour
Manchester City invite West Ham fans to complete their matchday experience and take a peek behind the scenes on a professionally guided tour around the Etihad Stadium just hours before the big game.
Take in the full view of the stadium from the Directors seating area before making your way down to pitch-side to feel the pre-match buzz. From there immerse yourself further using a self-guided interactive exhibition area.
To book, please contact the Stadium & Club Tour Office on +44 (0) 161 444 1894 (Option 4 Option 2) quoting Match Day Experience. This exclusive one-hour tour is priced £10 per person. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your tour's departure time in the Colin Bell Stand.
Guests also receive a souvenir club lanyard and tickets include membership of the MCFC supporters' club and a 10% discount in the club shop and hospitality.
To get to the Etihad Stadium, take the Metrolink to Etihad Campus, bus 216 from Piccadilly Gardens, or a taxi from the City Centre to Gate 11 Etihad Campus M11 3FF.