After a humiliating night in the Champions League, Manchester City will shift their focus back to the Premier League title race on Saturday (20:00 GMT) against a rejuvenated West Ham United.
Real Madrid hammered Pep Guardiola’s side 3-0 at the Bernabeu to put City’s hopes of European glory in major doubt. They could potentially find themselves with a 10-point gap to make up at the top of the table come kick-off on Saturday too, as Arsenal play at home against Everton earlier in the day.
They may start the weekend in the bottom three, but there is momentum behind West Ham. They have won seven of their past 11 games and can move out of the bottom three with a positive result on Saturday.
Hammers seek alternative attacking plan
The positive feeling around London Stadium reached its high point on Monday night as the team progressed into the FA Cup quarter-finals after a penalty shootout win over Brentford. But it was punctured the day after by some injury news.
Crysencio Summerville has been key to the team finding some form in recent months, although he will not be available for this weekend's game because of a calf problem.
The Dutch winger has scored seven goals and registered one assist across his past 13 games, and West Ham's record without him in the side this season leaves a lot to be desired. They have won none of their five league games without him in 2025-26.
Summerville has also been crucial to West Ham getting into good positions in games. Four of his goals this season have put the Hammers 1-0 up, the highest proportion of opening goals of any player to score at least four times this term.
Even with their star winger, City would represent a big test for West Ham. They have not beaten them at London Stadium in nine attempts in the top flight, losing seven and drawing two. City are unbeaten in 20 Premier League games overall against the Hammers.
Haaland hindered by Semenyo arrival?
Wednesday's heavy defeat in Madrid will be tough for City to brush off. But they have no choice if they are to keep pace in the title race.
Although City have lost only one of their past 17 Premier League games, there is still a sense that the team is lacking balance. Since the arrival of Antoine Semenyo, there has definitely been a shift in style too.
City have started with a two-man strike force in eight of their past 10 matches. Guardiola has gone with two strikers in seven league games this calendar year; he had previously played with two up front just 10 times in the competition since joining City in 2016.
While Semenyo has been a big hit at City – he has seven goals and two assists already – he has yet to gel with star forward Erling Haaland.
The Norwegian scored 20 of his 22 goals this season before Semenyo joined and made his City debut, but he has netted only two goals in matches in which the January signing has also started since.
