Goals from Morgan Amalfitano and Diafra Sakho were enough to suppress a frenzied surge from the blues in the final 30 minutes of play, and not even David Silva's exquisite curler could lubricate the uncompromising bond between James Collins and Winston Reid in the heart of West Ham United's defence. City have now failed to recover a single point from their last eight Premier League games in which they've been behind at half time, and with Chelsea in such impressive form, things are beginning to look a little grim for the current league champions.
Gaël Clichy was left on the bench in City's 2-2 draw with CSKA Moscow on Tuesday night, but no one seemed to notice the Frenchman sipping away at the Russian Standard he managed to sneak into his water bottle. The 29-year-old has become something of a liability in Manuel Pellegrini's team so far this season, and his hasty decline from one of the league's most dependable full-backs was illuminated by the speed and physicality Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia on Saturday.
Valencia took advantage of his deteriorating pace to assist Amalfitano for the Hammer's first, and Sakho nudged the defender's petite frame aside to nod Allardyce's men into a 2-0 lead on 75 minutes.
(Gaël Clichy struggled with the pace of Enner Valencia on Saturday afternoon - image via West Ham United Official Facebook)
And he definitely shared some of his bottle with compatriot Eliaquim Mangala on the flight home from Moscow. The £32m man is yet to justify the obscene price tag he balances on his head, and with every mistake, the fee appears more and more ridiculous. Misplaced passes and mis-timed tackles characterised the 23-year-old's display in Moscow and he carried that uncertainty into London on Saturday, but glimpses of his so-called brilliance did begin to surface in the second half.
The Frenchman made two crucial tackles to keep his side's hopes alive in the last fifteen minutes, saving the blushes of the usually dependable Vincent Kompany who was fortunate not to walk after a number of unnecessary fouls. Of course, City's new-look central defensive partnership needs time to solidify, but not at the expense of lost points.
Martin Demichelis, anyone?
(Eliaquim Mangala is yet to justify his £32m price tag - image via West Ham United Official Facebook)
City's back line were unforgivably poor, but their failures were outdone by one Edin Džeko who offered absolutely nothing. In fact, his performance deserves no further comment.
City's back line were unforgivably poor, but their failures were outdone by one Edin Džeko who offered absolutely nothing. In fact, his performance deserves no further comment.
Whatever happens, it's going to be an uncomfortable weekend for Manchester City fans. We've been forced into the awkward position of having to support Manchester United tomorrow, but if Chelsea do maintain their unbeaten run with a win at Old Trafford, Mourinho's side will boast an eight-point lead at the top of the table.
The positives? Joe Hart gave another spirited, brave, and commanding performance, Sergio Agüero looked dangerous and hungry in City's final push for an equaliser, David Silva was allowed to orchestrate our play in the 4-5-1 system that saw us acquire some tempo, and Yaya Touré showed a few glimpses of his old, lethal self in the final 20 minutes. But City only began to exhibit their mouthwatering qualities when the formation was altered, and it was a case of too little, too late.
(David Silva's wonder goal was one of a very limited set of positives to take from City's performance - via @MCFC)
Did Manuel Pellegrini get it wrong? Was he too slow to make substitutions? Or was it a lack of effort that saw the blues slump at the hands of West Ham?
It's been a disappointing week for Manchester City, but we're not in a crisis. We're second in the league, active in both domestic cup competitions, and we still have the opportunity to progress in the Champions League. There's time to address the many issues afflicting the squad, and Manuel Pellegrini has the credentials to do just that.
Player Ratings
Hart 7
Zabaleta 6
Kompany 5
Mangala 5
Clichy 4
Navas 5
Fernando 6
Touré 6
Silva 7
Džeko 3
Touré 6
Silva 7
Džeko 3
Agüero 6
