Pep Guardiola’s first taste of FA Cup action is as sweet as it comes as his Manchester City side demolishes West Ham in Friday night’s third round match.
The now-annual test of how seriously the FA Cup is taken by the elite clubs began with West Ham and Man City fielding strong sides – and the hosts ending up wondering why they bothered.
The 5-0 scoreline in no way flattered Pep Guardiola’s side, who dominated possession but were also particularly dangerous on the break.
David Silva (8.7), Yaya Toure (7.3) and Raheem Sterling (7.7) all caught the eye for the visitors, while Pablo Zabaleta (4.7) was again used as a holding midfielder as Fernandinho (5.3) began his latest (four match) suspension and the injured Fernando (4.7) didn’t even travel.
The Argentinian defender raided forward frequently and earned the penalty that opened the scoring, with Toure given spot-kick duties ahead of Sergio Aguero (12.8).
Should Zabaleta be handed a run of starts in the role, he could be the one City defender that offers the potential for points beyond the occasional clean sheet, although the upcoming fixtures that Fernandinho will miss – Everton away, Spurs at home and then another trip to West Ham – aren’t the easiest.
More significantly, Aguero’s stock appeared to suffer another significant knock as he relinquished spot-kick duties to Toure.
The striker has 11 Premier League goals this season, with three arriving from the spot. Four of 24 goals came from penalties last season and five from 26 before that. Based on those statistics, Aguero could, therefore, suffer a 15-20% reduction in his potential goal output should Toure remain in the box seat.
Guardiola had previously removed himself from the decision on the penalty taking pecking order, indicating that the change in duties will be decided by the players themselves.
Notably, Toure has now scored all 14 of his competitive spot-kicks for club and country. The Ivorian scored no less than six goals from penalties in his outstanding 2013/14 campaign and his stock as a midfield option for this season is duly boosted by this latest development.
Aguero did at least notch for the second match running when he flicked home Toure’s shot just after the break.
By then, the match was done and dusted.
After Sofiane Feghouli (5.0) missed a sitter at 0-1, City promptly went up the other end and doubled their lead through a Havard Nordtveit (4.7) own goal, the Norwegian failing to keep out Sterling’s attempt to bundle the ball home from a superb Bacary Sagna (5.3) cross.
A third followed almost immediately when Silva tapped in Sterling’s pass following another fast and fluent break.
John Stones (4.7), recalled to the side in place of Aleksandar Kolarov (5.8), rounded off the scoring in the second half with a header – his first goal for the club – from substitute Nolito’s (8.5) corner.
The rout was all the more chastening for West Ham because Slaven Bilic selected such a strong line-up.
Of the regular starters available, only Dmitri Payet (9.1) and Mark Noble (6.2) were afforded a rest, although both were introduced at 0-4 by an increasingly rain-soaked Bilic.
The Hammers have a good run of fixtures ahead, even if they won’t fancy that Gameweek 23 re-match with City much, but they’re wildly inconsistent and are currently in one of their phases of looking lost as a side.
The only downside for City was another relatively anonymous performance from Kevin De Bruyne (10.6). The Belgian hasn’t scored in the league for 15 matches and frequently dropped deep in City’s fluid midfield set-up at the London Stadium.
West Ham XI: Adrian, Nordtveit, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Fernandes, Obiang, Feghouli, Lanzini (Noble 58), Antonio (Fletcher 72), Carroll (Payet 58).
Subs not used: Randolph, Calleri, Oxford, Quina.
Man City XI: Caballero, Sagna, Stones, Otamendi, Clichy, Touré (Delph 78), Zabaleta, De Bruyne (Garcia 68), Silva (Nolito 58), Sterling, Agüero.
Subs not used: Bravo, Kolarov, Navas, Iheanacho.
