Manchester City 3-1 West Ham United
Premier League, Etihad Stadium, Sunday 19 May 2024, 4pm BST
Four-and-a-half years after it began with a 4-0 win over AFC Bournemouth at London Stadium, the David Moyes era is over.
After 261 matches, 112 victories, three top-ten Premier League finishes, a UEFA Europa League semi-final – and not forgetting West Ham United’s first major trophy since 1980 in the UEFA Europa Conference League last season – the reign of one of the most successful permanent managers in the Club’s 129-year history has come to an end.
And while Moyes’ tenure ended in disappointing fashion at Etihad Stadium, with a 3-1 defeat to newly-crowned champions Manchester City, the Scotsman can leave with his head held high having achieved something a lot more powerful – he got east London and the Club believing again.
The Hammers were unable to build on their comfortable win over Luton Town last weekend, as a first-half double from Phil Foden set the wheels in motion and, despite Mohammed Kudus’ stunning bicycle kick halving the deficit before half-time, a further strike from Rodri put the result beyond doubt.
Illness for top goalscorer Jarrod Bowen ruled out any possibility of him breaking his and Paolo Di Canio’s record tally of 16 goals in a single Premier League season, and forced Moyes into two changes, with Dinos Mavropanos and Aaron Cresswell replacing Angelo Ogbonna and the aforementioned Bowen in the starting XI.
The early signs were positive from City, who were in no mood to let their lead at the summit slip, and any signs of hoping to capitalise on any home nerves were gone inside 80 seconds when Foden took the ball in his stride, sidestepped James Ward-Prowse and caressed a precise effort into the top corner beyond Alphonse Areola.
It remained one-way traffic, and as an attacking force, City were rampant. West Ham simply could not cope, as Areola was called upon to make two smart saves in quick succession from midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
A second goal looked inevitable for Pep Guardiola’s charges - and it arrived after 18 minutes as Foden capped a sweeping move, started by Erling Haaland, from 14 yards to extend their lead.
Haaland could’ve added to his 27 Premier League goals minutes later when he spurned a gilt-edged chance, somehow missing the target from six yards, before Foden was denied a hat-trick as Areola parried clear a powerful drive.
And the Hammers had their goalkeeper to thank for a further string of crucial saves, as he kept out Manuel Akanji’s rasping long-range drive, De Bruyne’s curling effort and Rodri’s attempt that looked destined for the bottom corner.
West Ham finally mustered their first shot on target after 37 minutes when Mohammed Kudus smartly twisted and turned inside the box before his goalbound effort was well saved by Stefan Ortega.
Moyes’ side enjoyed a rare spell of sustained pressure before half-time, and took full advantage as they reduced the deficit in devastating fashion. Ward-Prowse’s corner was cleared as far as Kudus, who improvised brilliantly by flicking the ball above his head and performing a stunning overhead kick that flew beyond Ortega.
A switch to 4-4-2 just before the break saw Emerson occupy a more defensive role, and it looked to prove a smart move from Moyes, as City struggled to weave their way through a much more solidified backline.
De Bruyne and Foden were both restricted to long-range efforts in the opening stages of the second half – but West Ham were punished for one lapse in concentration before the hour mark as Guardiola’s side restored their two-goal advantage when Rodri collected Bernardo Silva’s pass and fired low and hard into the bottom right-hand corner from outside the area.
Then, five minutes later, the home side almost added a fourth through Haaland, but skipper Kurt Zouma put in a potentially goal-saving block, before the Norwegian headed the resulting corner wide of the target.
The Irons continued to look threatening on the counter with their raw pace up front and, after Kudus’ effort went into the side-netting following a driving run, they thought they had pulled a second goal back from a corner, only for it for be disallowed for an obvious handball by Tomáš Souček.
It was yet another spirited performance by Moyes’ side in the north west, but ultimately they were overpowered by Manchester City, who became the first side to clinch a fourth consecutive Premier League title.
Manchester City: Ortega, Walker ©, Dias, Akanji (Aké 71), Gvardiol, Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva, Doku, Foden (Kovačić 90+1), Haaland
Subs: Carson (GK), Stones, Grealish, Álvarez, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis
Goals: Foden 2, 18, Rodri 59
West Ham United: Areola, Coufal, Zouma ©, Mavropanos, Cresswell, Emerson (Álvarez 71), Ward-Prowse, Souček, Paquetá (Ings 86), Kudus, Antonio (Earthy 81)
Subs: Fabianski (GK), Johnson, Casey, Ogbonna, Cornet, Mubama
Goal: Kudus 42
Booked: Álvarez
Referee: John Brooks
Attendance: 55,097
