MANCHESTER CITY
Premier League, Etihad Stadium, Saturday 4 January 2025, 3pm GMT
West Ham United kick-off 2025 with a trip to the Etihad Stadium to face reigning Premier League champions Manchester City.
Little over seven months ago, the Hammers were at the same venue and were defeated 3-1 as City held off Liverpool to win the title for the fourth season in succession, with Mohammed Kudus on target for the Irons with a sensational overhead kick.
Half a year on and City are in a different position, having gone through their most challenging run of form since Pep Guardiola was appointed manager in the summer of 2016.
Indifferent results have seen City fall away from their customary position at the top of the Premier League table, and in very real danger of failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, however they did see off Leicester City 2-0 in their final outing of 2024.
Guardiola will hope a New Year inspires his squad, which is clearly missing injured Ballon D’Or winner Rodri, to return to their all-conquering ways of recent seasons.
How to get there…
As is the case with so many football stadia these days, it is recommended that supporters take public transport, rather than driving to the game.
If you are taking the train up from London, take a service from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, with direct services leaving London at 08.53, 09.24, 09.52, 10.24, 10.53 and 11.25. From Piccadilly, take the Metrolink to Etihad Campus, from where it is a short walk to the stadium.
Return services depart Piccadilly at 17.15, 17.55, 18.15 and 18.55.
If you do drive, park at one of the many Metrolink stations which have Park and Ride car parks, and board the tram to the ground. For a full list, click HERE.
Where to stay…
As England’s second-largest urban area, Manchester and its surrounding towns have plenty of accommodation options to suit all budgets and tastes.
There are some sensational hotels in the city, many of which are either within walking distance of the Metrolink or a short taxi ride to the Etihad Stadium.
For those for whom price is more important than style, there are the usual chain options in and around the city centre.
What to do…
As a city that flourished and grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, many of Manchester’s major sights derive from the Victorian period.
If you arrive in the city with some time to explore before heading to Etihad Stadium, the Science and Industry Museum is a fascinating museum based in the country’s first railway station, Liverpool Road.
If you’d rather stick to the Beautiful Game, the National Football Museum is situated in Cathedral Gardens to the north of the city centre, and houses the world’s finest collection of football objects and memorabilia, the English Football Hall of Fame, as well as interactive games for all the family.
Many of the exhibits have a link with West Ham United, including Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore’s boots and Hurst’s shirt from England’s 1966 FIFA World Cup final win over West Germany.
For further information, head to visitmanchester.com.
What’s happened there before…
We have not exactly enjoyed our recent visits to Etihad Stadium, with our last eight Premier League trips to Manchester City all ending in home wins, and West Ham United scoring just five goals in those matches.
Our last win at the Etihad was during the Farewell Boleyn season, 2015/16, when first-half goals from Victor Moses and Diafra Sakho secured a 2-1 success – our only victory in 18 Premier League visits to City’s new home, which was originally built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
In fact, that was our last Premier League win over Manchester City anywhere, with City winning 15 and drawing three of the 18 meetings since. However, we did beat Pep Guardiola’s side on penalties in the EFL Cup fourth round at London Stadium in October 2021.
