Summary: A second-half double from Georgios Samaras saw City to a deserved victory, with a disappointing West Ham not forcing Nick Weaver into one save. The Greek striker’s first was a great volley, set up by a magnificent run by Ishmael Miller, and the second a sublime chip over Roy Carroll.
Team news: Ishmael Miller made his first start for City after several substitute appearances, replacing Claudio Reyna from Wednesday’s starting XI.
For the visitors, Mascherano started but the other much-talked about recent signing, Carlos Tevez, was on the bench.
It was a bright, sunny and warm day in Manchester.
The Match
Micah Richards made the first chance of the day when he shook off Konchesky in the sixth minute and broke into the area, but the teenager’s left-footed shot skimmed across the face of goal and went harmlessly wide. The youngster tried again with his other foot three minutes later from just outside the box after Samaras’ lay-off to him, but once again Roy Carroll was not troubled.
Ismael Miller had the crowd buzzing when he cut in from the left flank on 14 minutes, but after getting to the edge of the area his shot skewed wide of Carroll’s left post.
The visitors’ first threatening move came after 17 minutes when Dailly managed to get to the byline and crossed. Harewood threw himself towards it but could not control the ball which flew wide after hitting him.
Georgios Samaras was centimetres from opening the scores on 20 minutes when he moved into the area from the left. The Greek striker tried to curl the ball round Carroll with his right foot and it went desperately close to going in, maybe even scraping the outside of the left post.
Miller went on the kind of bustling run that became his trademark in the reserves last season, but after getting past substitute Mullins and into the box the defender recovered and blocked his cross before Gabbidon cleared.
Samaras forced Carroll into a save with two minutes to go to the break, the former Manchester United stopper diving late to deflect the shot round the post after initially looking as though he was letting the ball go past him. Ishmael Miller rose to the resultant corner but headed the ball over the bar.
But the teenager more than made up for the miss five minutes after the break. Picking up the ball from defence deep in City’s half, Miller went on a run all the way into West Ham’s area. The Hammers’ defence blocked his attempt, but the ball rebounded to Georgios Samaras who steadied himself before volleying the ball past Carroll and into the net.
City’s tails were up now, and Barton won the ball to set Miller up on the left once more, but this time the City player blazed the ball over from just outside the area.
However we did not have to wait long for the next goal, and once more Georgios Samaras was on target. Strike partner Bernardo Corradi found him with a neat lay-off and Samaras had the time and space in the area to chip the ball over the advancing Carroll. The choruses of ‘feed the Greek and he will score’ echoed around the ground, ironically on the day that Shaun Goater watched on from the stands.
City were able to keep West Ham at bay, and the visitors had yet to force Nick Weaver into a save. Ishmael Miller pulled up and was substituted to a huge ovation with 10 minutes to go.
Samaras won a free kick with six minutes left, and Roy Carroll did well to punch Joey Barton’s effort around his left hand post.
City’s goalscorer was substituted with two minutes to go and was also given generous applause by the home fans.
Three minutes were added on but City were totally comfortable and the final whistle went to yet another ovation for a thoroughly deserved win.
