WEST HAM 1, MAN CITY 3
Manchester City finally banished their away-day blues with a Barclays Premier League victory at West Ham.
It was City’s first league win of the season on the road as they finally came good on their travels.
Though City have a 100-per-cent home record in the league, it has been an altogether different story away from the Etihad Stadium where, before this victory, they had collected only one point from a possible nine.
But two goals from Sergio Aguero – he already has six for the season – and a sublime finish from David Silva earned Manuel Pellegrini his first away win and lifted City into fourth place in the table.
It was also a win secured without injured captain Vincent Kompany while Pellegrini had a new-look back line as Joleon Lescott, Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov had to settle for places on the bench.
In to the back line came Micah Richards and Gael Clichy while the centre-back pairing was Matija Nastasic and Javi Garcia as Pellegrini clearly had an eye on Wednesday’s Champions League match at CSKA Moscow.
Aguero broke the deadlock in the 16th minute with a superb finish after being set up by Ferdandinho and Alvaro Negredo.
The Argentine ought to have doubled the lead minutes later, but could only direct his shot straight at keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Aguero found the target again early in the second half with a rare headed goal from Silva’s free kick.
The Hammers, who had won 3-0 at Tottenham in their previous game, were handed a lifeline back into the game just short of the hour when Ricardo Vaz Te found the net with a spectacular overhead kick.
Negredo was denied by the frame of the goal and City had to wait until 10 minutes from time when Silva scored their third when Aguero back heeled the ball into his path and he curled a majestic effort into the top corner of the net.