EPL 15/16 Matchday 6: Manchester City 1-2 West Ham

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This result ended a tough week for Manchester City fans.

They lost to Juventus in midweek, in another Champions League reversal, and then followed it up with this very poor performance at home to a West Ham team who need no encouragement when it comes to taking on the big guns and getting a result.

City remain top of the table, but their manager Manuel Pellegrini will know they can’t afford too many off-days like this one if they’re to stay there and secure another title.

Chelsea winning and Utd getting a good result reminds him how tough this environment is, as if the Hammer’s determined and often stylish performance didn’t already do that.

This was the match in which Kevin De Bruyne made his full debut for the home team, after David Silva suffered an injury during the warm up, and the Belgian international showed the crowd just why he’d been signed for big money – a staggering £52 million to be specific.

He was classy, with the kind of pace Silva no longer can command.

He will be a fine signing.

He took his goal very well, and City fans will be cursing the fact that he scored it just before half time, with the team already 2-0 down.

West Ham had a tremendous first half, and Victor Moses scored after just six minutes, and Diafra Safo made it two just after the half hour mark.

It was a troubled start to the game for City, who were unbeaten in the league before this match.

This result has nudged them off the rails a little, but everyone expects City to start motoring again pretty soon.

What is astonishing is the record West Ham have put together thus far.

Three away wins against really big sides – Liverpool, Arsenal and now City – have them riding high and third in the league, and although we’re only six games into the season that is a Hell of a record to have set, at three of the hardest grounds in the business.

Bilic, who took over there in the summer, has a great reputation in the game and whilst talk of West Ham challenging for that Champions League spot appears somewhat premature it would be the most incredible achievement of his amazing career if he were able to pull it off.

Man of the Match:

Kevin De Bruyne. An enormous fee, but enormous talent to go with it.