Head-To-head: West Ham vs Manchester City

West Ham are looking to catch and pass Manchester United for Europa League football next season. To do so, they have to find a way past league leaders Manchester City.

Our feature pick for the Premier League matchday 37 game of the week is West Ham vs Manchester City.

Both sides are still fighting for something. West Ham are looking to catch and pass Manchester United for a Europa League football finish.

While City are looking keep ahead of Liverpool to win the league once again.

Only one team can get the tree points, but who should your money be going on?

 

Goals

West Ham: 57

Manchester City: 94

 

Manchester City have recently overtaken Liverpool for the mantle of top scorers in the league, and with the rate they are currently on, it's hard to see that changing.

Points-wise, City can't match their centurion season from 2017/18. But they can reach 100 goals for the season with just three goals in each of their last two games.

Sounds easy enough for them. 

 

xG per 90 minutes

 

West Ham: 1.35

Manchester City: 2.32

 

Those three goals a game sounds not as easy when you consider they have a season xG per 90 minutes of 2.32. But of course, that is over the whole season.

They have scored 22 goals in their last five games. So three goals in this game is not out of their reach.

It's scary to see the rate at which they get goals at the moment. Think of what it's going to be like when Erling Haaland joins them next season.

 

Shots total per 90 minutes

 

West Ham: 12.03

Manchester City: 18.06

 

Despite overtaking them for goals, Man City still rank second behind Liverpool for shots taken.

West Ham are rather conservative with their shots for a top 10 sides, taking the 10th most shots in the league.

The two sides also rank in the same spots for shots total per 90 minutes.

 

Shots on target per 90 minutes

 

West Ham: 3.83

Manchester City: 6.31

 

Here's where City retake their lead from Liverpool. They average more shots on target per 90 minutes.

West Ham again ranks 10th for shots on target per 90 minutes.

Most importantly, though, is that City rank on their own for goals per shot with 0.13, while West Ham are in the group of five teams behind on 0.12.

 

Goals conceded per 90 minutes

 

West Ham: 1.28

Manchester City: 0.61

 

City have the best defense in the league. They have conceded just 22 goals, the least amount in the league.

West Ham have conceded the ninth least amount with 46.

They both also see themselves in the same spots for goals against per 90 minutes.

 

Penalties

 

West Ham: 4/6

Manchester City: 7/8

 

With a conversion rate of 88%, Manchester City are fairly automatic for goals from the penalty spot. If they do get one, you'd probably not be sweating it at all if you put a bet on them scoring.

West Ham aren't as automatic from the spot, but are still strong. They have a 67% conversion rate, which is pretty secure as well.

 

Corners per game

 

West Ham: 5.31

Manchester City: 8.14

 

From all the shots they take, it's no surprise City rank at the top of the league for corners. They have taken 293 in total.

West Ham rank fairly highly, too, in joint sixth place with 191 taken.

And according to WhoScored.com, Man City have scored 20 goals from set pieces, while West Ham have scored 13.

 

Cards

 

West Ham: 48 Y, 3R

Manchester City: 41 Y, 1 R

 

These two sides rank number one and two for least amount of yellow cards this season. They average 1.33 yellows per game for West Ham and 1.14 for Man City. They are every well-disciplined.

Well, at least City are. West Ham have done well not to pick up too many yellow cards. Red cards is another story, though.

West Ham joins Watford and Leeds as the only teams to receive three red cards this season.

It's not a great look for them, but at least it's not as bad as Everton and Arsenal on four.