Can City bounce back from Derby disappointment against West Ham?

It is never a nice feeling to lose against local rivals Manchester United, but the manner in which City went down to a 4-2 defeat will be the biggest disappointment to fans who expected the team to be competitive and create chances against a shaky defence. Bouncing straight back with a win has now become imperative, with City’s recent dip in form not only seeing the team drop from second to fourth in the table – something that hardly anyone saw coming a month ago – but has also given Southampton and Liverpool fresh hope that they can leapfrog Manuel Pellegrini’s men. It makes the upcoming fixture at the Etihad Stadium against West Ham a must-win, with a game on home soil coming at just the right time given City’s struggles on the road in recent weeks. City are considered strong favourites with Coral to record their eleventh home win of the season, but as West Ham proved in their win in the reverse fixture at the Boleyn Ground in October, three points will be by no means a foregone conclusion.

Stand up and be counted

Defeat in the derby will undoubtedly mount more pressure on Pellegrini, but with six games remaining in the 2014/2015 Premier League season, there is no time for Manchester City to feel sorry for themselves when there is a job still to do. Every player must now step up to the plate and show they deserve to wear the shirt next season, with a major spending spree in the summer already in the pipeline to hopefully make City more competitive and add more quality on the pitch.

It should spark a response from the players who are essentially playing for their futures at the Etihad, and although David Silva and Sergio Aguero are amongst those that will not be sold under any circumstances, the others must prove they have something to offer. Both players will be crucial to City’s chances of picking up another three points on home soil to make it four wins in a row at the Etihad, a run which has seen City plunder ten goals and concede none at the other end. However, in a game where West Ham will be expected to have a go and be competitive, the potential absence of captain Vincent Kompany may be a real blow; Kompany went off at half time in the derby after picking up what looked to be a thigh injury. He joins Dedryck Boyata and Wilfried Bony on the sidelines, although Pellegrini may be able to call upon Stevan Jovetic who could be fit after another spell on the treatment table.

Faltering Hammers

From being in the top four at Christmas, West Ham have endured a miserable run of form that has not only seen them slide down the table to ninth, but also increased yet more pressure on Sam Allardyce from fans who believe he is not the man to take them forward. Just two wins to date in the calendar year perfectly illustrates their decline, and although they more than held their own in draws against Manchester United, Tottenham and Southampton, West Ham appear to lack the confidence and belief they had in themselves during the first half of the season when they looked destined to be in contention for a European spot. Manchester City should be encouraged by the fact that West Ham have kept only one clean sheet all season away from home, and although Diafra Sakho’s goals have won the Hammers numerous points this season, coming up against the Premier League’s top scorers is arguably the last thing the Hammers need. Injuries to key players make it even more unlikely that West Ham will record back-to-back victories over Manchester City, with Sakho, Enner Valencia, James Tomkins and Andy Carroll all missing for Allardyce’s side, who, despite winning many plaudits for the quality of football they have played at numerous times this season, could be on a hiding to nothing if Pellegrini’s men are on song.