{"id":412925,"date":"2011-05-01T17:02:00","date_gmt":"2011-05-01T17:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/05\/01\/manchester-city-2-1-west-ham-united-mancini%e2%80%99s-side-open-seven-point-gap-over-liverpool-spurs-but-demba-ba-strike-ensures-nervy-finish\/"},"modified":"2011-05-01T17:02:00","modified_gmt":"2011-05-01T17:02:00","slug":"manchester-city-2-1-west-ham-united-mancinis-side-open-seven-point-gap-over-liverpool-spurs-but-demba-ba-strike-ensures-nervy-finish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/01\/manchester-city-2-1-west-ham-united-mancinis-side-open-seven-point-gap-over-liverpool-spurs-but-demba-ba-strike-ensures-nervy-finish\/","title":{"rendered":"Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United: Mancini\u2019s side open seven-point gap over Liverpool & Spurs but Demba Ba strike ensures nervy finish"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

By Steve Hewlett<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\"EPL,<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

EPL, Manchester City v West Ham United, Nigel de Jong<\/p>\n

Related Links<\/h4>\n

Teams<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n

Manchester City<\/a> have tightened their grip on the prospect of Champions League football next season as a 2-1 victory over West Ham United<\/a> at the City of Manchester Stadium on Sunday moves Roberto Mancini<\/a>\u2019s side to within five points of third place Arsenal<\/a> and seven ahead of fifth placed Liverpool<\/a>. The flip side of the result sees the Hammers remain bottom and still, tantalisingly, three points from safety.<\/p>\n

Goals from Nigel de Jong and Pablo Zabaleta gave City all three points and ensured that Avram Grant\u2019s side’s fate is still not set. Demba Ba\u2019s goal for the visitors was not enough to produce the result that West Ham desperately need.<\/p>\n

With the end of the season rapidly approaching, every game counts and with each positive result, Mancini seems more and more likely to achieve his main aim for the season, qualify for Europe\u2019s premier club trophy. West Ham on the other hand, are fighting for their lives and with co-owner David Sullivan giving the club a 25% chance of staying up, there seems to be little confidence emanating from Upton park these days.<\/p>\n

The league table doesn\u2019t lie in May. With City sitting very nicely in fourth spot before kickoff and West Ham acting as the prop to the rest of the table, an easy and effective performance was what the City fans would have been wanting as they strolled in the Mancunian sunshine prior to the game.<\/p>\n

And that is what they got for the most part. Roberto Mancini\u2019s new found confidence and utilization of his attacking tools has turned City from a lethargic yet expensive unit into a slick, organised and potent side. Right from the get go City meant business and for all West Ham could do, it wasn\u2019t enough to stop the irresistible City thrust.<\/p>\n

Such was the wide ranging threats of City, that the opening goal came from an unusual source. Nigel de Jong<\/strong> has become a staple of the City midfield, his bullish style of play is his trademark \u2013 just ask Xabi Alonso \u2013 but his charging run from a corner was finished with a piledriving volley that left Robert Green in the West Ham net with no chance. It was the Dutchman\u2019s first goal in the Sky Blue and gave Mancini\u2019s side the perfect start.<\/p>\n

The City fans had barely finished doing \u201cThe Poznan\u201d \u2013 the craze which has replaced the inflatable bananas of the old Kippax stand days in the hearts of the blue half of Manchester \u2013 when a meandering run from Pablo Zabaleta<\/strong> saw the Argentine burst into the Hammers box, before evading the onrushing Rob Green with a deft touch. With the ball seemingly goalbound, West Ham full back Lars Jacobsen was only able to divert the shot into the roof of the net, as his attempted clearance went in vain. Mancini was elated on the sidelines and City were looking in total control of the afternoon and showing little in the way of any fallibility which would allow the visitors back in.<\/p>\n

Things were going from bad to worse for Avram Grant, skipper Matthew Upson was not fully fit before kickoff and he only lasted 25 minutes before he trotted off to be replaced by Da Costa.<\/p>\n

Just after the half hour West Ham showed signs of life and Robbie Keane had a wonderful chance to pull one back when his offside beating run gave him a one-on-one with Joe Hart, who until this point had had little to do. As the Irishman bore down on Hart it was clear what he needed to do, chip the ball lightly over the advancing \u2018keeper.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t. Hart did enough to keep the ball from it\u2019s intended path and City breathed easy once more.<\/p>\n

This relaxed demeanour didn\u2019t last as Demba Ba<\/strong> struck after excellent refereeing from Howard Webb allowed play to continue after a Joleon Lescott handball.\u00a0 The Senegalese striker gave hope to the Hammers and made the halftime score far more respectable.<\/p>\n

In the second period both sides had chances to increase the scoreline. Mario Balotelli\u2019s thunderous shot which rattled the crossbar could have killed the game off but West Ham were showing a tenacity which belied their league position. Da Costa had a free header which he only directed straight at Hart and moments later, David Silva\u2019s hesitancy let West Ham off the hook because if the Spaniard was more alert he could have played in Balotelli for a clear cut chance on goal.<\/p>\n

West Ham’s dogged determination was a real plus for the fans who made the trip north. There were a number of spells in the second half which showed that there\u2019s plenty of fight left and they were capable of troubling City\u2019s expensive side. The City fans were growing frustrated with this turn of events and were anxious as their side held the slimmest of leads. A trait which must be arrested if they are to challenge for the title next term.<\/p>\n

On another day West Ham could have got the levelling goal they deserved, but when you\u2019re at the wrong end of the table nothing goes for you and every missed opportunity can result in catastrophe and ejection from the most expensive party in town.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

More here:
\nManchester City 2-1 West Ham United: Mancini\u2019s side open seven-point gap over Liverpool & Spurs but Demba Ba strike ensures nervy finish<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Steve Hewlett EPL, Manchester City v West Ham United, Nigel de Jong Related Links Teams Manchester City have tightened their grip on the prospect of Champions League football next season as a 2-1 victory over West Ham United at the City of Manchester Stadium on Sunday moves Roberto Mancini \u2019s side to within five points of third place Arsenal and seven ahead of fifth placed Liverpool . The flip side of the result sees the Hammers remain bottom and still, tantalisingly, three points from safety<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":412926,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-412925","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment"},"yoast_head":"\nManchester City 2-1 West Ham United: Mancini\u2019s side open seven-point gap over Liverpool & Spurs but Demba Ba strike ensures nervy finish - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/01\/manchester-city-2-1-west-ham-united-mancinis-side-open-seven-point-gap-over-liverpool-spurs-but-demba-ba-strike-ensures-nervy-finish\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United: Mancini\u2019s side open seven-point gap over Liverpool & Spurs but Demba Ba strike ensures nervy finish - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"By Steve Hewlett EPL, Manchester City v West Ham United, Nigel de Jong Related Links Teams Manchester City have tightened their grip on the prospect of Champions League football next season as a 2-1 victory over West Ham United at the City of Manchester Stadium on Sunday moves Roberto Mancini \u2019s side to within five points of third place Arsenal and seven ahead of fifth placed Liverpool . 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