ENGLISH PREMIER BETTING PREVIEW - MANCHESTER CITY VS WEST HAM UNITED

English Premier

2025-12-20 - Manchester City vs West Ham United

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Manchester City v West Ham United
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 20th December 2025 - Kick Off 3pm

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Manchester City

The continued fight on four fronts has given Manchester City some real confidence and momentum and they will be looking to keep the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday. A League Cup Semi Final spot has been secured and Manchester City are almost certainly going to be playing in the Champions League Knock Out Rounds in the New Year, while Pep Guardiola was able to get some rest in for some of his key performers during the week.

It is clear that the festive period is not nearly as intense as it once was, but it is still a pivotal time of the season and Manchester City are 2nd in the Premier League table and 2 points behind leaders Arsenal. Improving the 7-0-1 record at the Etihad Stadium by producing another victory would mean Manchester City top the standings for a couple of hours before The Gunners kick off at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Manchester City beat Brentford in the League Cup Quarter Final and have won 6 in a row in all competitions ahead of this fixture. The side have won the last 3 games played at the Etihad Stadium following a surprising 0-2 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Oscar Bobb picked up a knock on Wednesday and is set to join the likes of Jeremy Doku and Rodri on the sidelines. Players like Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland will be back in the starting lineup, as will Phil Foden and Matheus Nunes.

West Ham United

They led twice last Sunday, but West Ham United will feel they have allowed more Premier League points to slip following the 2-3 defeat to Aston Villa days after conceding in injury time in a 1-1 draw at Brighton. Nuno Espirito Santo will not be panicking about the situation, but he will know that his team need to stay in touch with improving relegation rivals ahead of the January transfer window when additions can be made to the squad.

The latest defeat came on the same weekend that Leeds United and Nottingham Forest earned positive results and means West Ham United are 18th in the Premier League table and 3 points behind 17th placed Leeds United. The Hammers do have a solid enough 1-4-3 away record in the top flight ahead of this trip to the North West.

West Ham United have failed to win any of the last 5 Premier League games, although the defeat to Aston Villa was only the second suffered in that run. They are on a run of 6 away League games without a victory, but West Ham United will point out that they have drawn each of the last 3 on their travels.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Diouf have both left for the African Cup of Nations.

Head to Head

Manchester City did the Premier League double over West Ham United last season, including beating them 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

That result has made it 9 straight home wins for Manchester City over this opponent.

Prediction

Most people will be anticipating a relatively comfortable Manchester City win this weekend and these pages are not going to be any different.

Having some key players rested and ready to go will certainly give Manchester City even more reason to be considered the strongest favourite of the weekend.

It also helps that they are facing a West Ham United team they have dominated at home and one that is struggling to find the balance that Nuno Espirito Santo will have wanted to see. Recent results have been more positive than negative, but West Ham United have failed to hang onto leads and that was the case again in a 2-3 home loss to Aston Villa last weekend.

The goals being conceded have to be a concern, while the underlying numbers suggest West Ham United have been very fortunate to pick up draws in each of the last 3 away Premier League games played.

Of course the fact they have avoided those defeats means you have to step back and give West Ham United respect, but containing this Manchester City team looks like it will be beyond them.

Erling Haaland is the focal point, but Phil Foden has been in really strong form and Rayan Cherki looks settled.

All three are going to be able to cause problems for this West Ham United team who allowed Bournemouth, Manchester United and Brighton create some big openings in recent away games.

Manchester City have looked a little more solid defensively than those three teams and that can also help- since the 3-2 win over Leeds United and the 4-5 win at Fulham, Manchester City have 3 clean sheets in 4 wins and they will be keen to do the same here.

Nuno Espirito Santo will want his team to produce a solid shape and counter, but he took a stronger Nottingham Forest team to the Etihad Stadium last season and was beaten 3-0 and a similar result is expected in the final match for these two teams before Christmas Day.

The Pick :

Manchester City 3-0 West Ham United

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Manchester City - 1.75 Asian Handicap at 1.72 with Cloudbet