Roberto Mancini and his players are ready to erect a piece of City history via qualification for the Champions League.
Barring a dramatic loss of form, the Blues are long odds-on favourites to finish in the top four and be playing in Europe’s elite club competition next season.
Should all go well and fans choose to reflect on the success of this campaign, they will undoubtedly point to a hugely impressive home record in the second half of the season - one that has almost gone unnoticed by commentators and columnists.
Before tthe visit from the Hammers, the FA Cup finalists had played 13 home games in all competitions since their last home reverse. Twelve of those games had been won – Fulham snatched a point – and a whopping 35 goals nestled into the opposition net.
Those statistics have now stretched to 14 games and 37 goals thanks to Nigel de Jong and Pablo Zabaleta via the boot of Lars Jacobsen
...Chris Bailey
Having selected the same starting line-up for the FA Cup semi-final and at Blackburn for wins that put clear, sky blue water between his side and those chasing, Mancini decided to leave well alone.
City fielded the same starting team for the third game running – almost unheard of in this day and age.
Having lost their last four games and minus their best player, Scott Parker, through injury West Ham never seemed remotely likely to post their first ever win at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Hard though they strived – and they did - their bubbles were deflated from the moment Dutchman De Jong scored his first ever goal for the club.
His raking drive from the edge of the box after the Hammers failed to deal with a flag kick found the corner of the goal and sparked huge celebrations not least from the midfielder himself though these were cut short as he departed injured at the break.
The Poznan celebration in the stands had hardly died down when Pablo Zabaleta’s surging run and low cross induced Jacobsen to belt the ball into the roof of his own net leaving the dubious goal panel with a decision to make.
Seemingly game over with 75 minutes left on the clock. Not so.
The Hammers went into damage control mode while City simply cruised through the gears and caused themselves trouble they didn’t need
...Chris Bailey
There was a warning when Joe Hart had to spread himself thinner than anything polyunsaturated to stop Robbie Keane and thoughts of the England man equalling the clean sheet record went west just after the half hour when Demba Ba rifled home from ten yards.
For a short period CoMs resembled Ice Station Zebra though the warm atmosphere soon returned.
West Ham, to their credit, searched hard for a leveller after the break leaving gaps at the back that City exploited.
Balotelli struck the inside of the post with one effort and saw Tompkins clear a rather tame strike off the line.
On both occasions the impish, easy-on-the-eye Silva was the creator.
Countless times the ball sped across the face of the West Ham goal without the touch that would have calmed any nerves but in the end it did not matter as the home side with James Milner an impressive second half substitute clinched the spoils.
Victory sent City seven points clear of Liverpool in fifth spot and Tottenham in sixth. That ‘cement’ can’t dry quickly enough!
