Sky-High Manchester City Visit Bottom-Placed West Ham

West Ham will be hoping for lady luck to be on their side going into Saturday’s Premier League match against Manchester City, who will be without leading goalscorer Carlos Tevez.

The Argentinian international misses the match against his old club, as he starts a one-match ban after accumulating five bookings so far this season. City manager Roberto Mancini is confident his team can score goals without the striker.

“Carlos is a fantastic player, one of the most important players in the world,” Mancini stated. “But it's important that the other players step up now.”

“Carlos is very dangerous in the box for our opponents, but if we continue to play football like we did against Bolton, I think we can win without him.”

The Blues have won four of their last six away games in the league, and could go joint-top by Saturday evening, with the other remaining title contenders not in action. However, their form over recent seasons against the Hammers could prove telling; City have picked up maximum points at Upton Park on just ten league occasions. A repeat of last season’s result of 1-1 is currently 11/2.

The last time the Blues played in London, they thumped Fulham 4-1; a repeat of that scoreline is a higher priced 50/1.

Avram Grant’s West Ham will be hoping to maintain their unbeaten home form as they continue to fight off potential relegation. The London club are currently joint bottom with Wolves, and will name a squad missing key players in Noble, Behrami, Hitzlsperger and Collison. Rumours regarding the futures of Carlton Cole and Scott Parker leaving in January are likely to have been unwelcome news for the Israeli manager, who just a few weeks ago was looking odds on for the sack.

Should the West Ham board be unhappy with December’s form, Grant could be the next manager gone come the New Year; a price right now of 5/2 would surely decrease should City thump the Hammers in front of their own fans.

Bet Highlight:
Adebayor is fit again after a calf strain, and with Tevez banned, a goal from the Togolese striker in a 2-1 City win is a fantastic 35/1.

Premier League 09/10:
West Ham 1-1 Man City
Man City 3-1 West Ham