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Manchester City vs West Ham Preview: Odds, Tips & Prediction

Date: Saturday, December 20 Venue: Etihad Stadium Kick-off: 3pm Manchester City will aim to put on a show for the fans when West Ham rolls into town for their last Premier League game before Christmas. The goals usually flow when these sides meet, and the best betting sites for football will build up anticipation for this matchup with ample markets to tuck into. While Arsenal hold the cards in the title race, City have the know-how and the stamina to last the course. City have hit their stride recently, but we can’t forget their breathless 5-4 win over Fulham either, when they nearly threw it away.

Charles Perrin

Sports Writer

Last updated: 2025-12-15

Fact checked by:

Chad Nagel

Sports & Betting Editor

5 minutes read

SportsBoom offers honest and impartial UK bookmaker reviews to help you make informed choices. While we may earn commissions through affiliate links, our content remains independent and free from promotional influence. For more information, see our Content Transparency and How We Review pages.

Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates scoring the second goal

Erling Haaland of Manchester City/Getty Images

Table of Contents

West Ham have been easy fodder for City, and they have folded on recent visits to the Etihad. Three trips have resulted in 10 goals conceded, but they need a result to give the fans something to cling to before the New Year. SportsBoom has provided some Premier League betting insights and shared several football betting tips for this game.

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability – City Overwhelming Favourites

Premier League betting sites are stacked with pre-match betting odds, and this is how one of the most trusted bookmakers sees things:

Home: 1/5 (1.20) – 83.3%
Draw: 6/1 (7.00) – 14.3%
Away: 11/1 (12.00) – 8.3%
*Odds courtesy of Copybet, subject to change

Head-to-Head Record

Pre-match betting odds for Premier League games can often be influenced by head-to-head records. Here are a few results from past clashes.

Last Five Meetings (Premier League)

1
04/01/25: Man City 4-1 West Ham
2
31/08/24: West Ham 1-3 Man City
3
19/05/24: Man City 3-1 West Ham
4
16/09/23: West Ham 1-3 Man City
5
03/05/23: Man City 3-0 West Ham

Manchester City Current Form – LWWWW

After an untimely slip-up against Newcastle, City have motored in the past few weeks, chalking up four wins in a row. There were some rollercoaster moments, particularly in the pulsating 5-4 win over Fulham, where they were 5-1 up at Craven Cottage, and they were nearly pegged back.

Pep Guardiola’s charges, though, are used to embarking on long Premier League unbeaten runs in pursuit of the title. For example, en route to lifting the league in 2024, City went unbeaten after beating Luton 2-1 in December.

Despite 16 goals, which is almost double Arsenal’s return, it is concerning, but City appear ready to capitalise on any mistake the Gunners make

Key Players to Watch

Erling Haaland
Having recently obliterated Alan Shearer’s record to reach 100 Premier League goals in the quickest time (111 games), Erling Haaland, who has a fabulous record against West Ham with five in his past two outings, would love to extend that tally.
Phil Foden
More urgent in his play, and back among the goals, Phil Foden bagged a double in the 3-1 win over West Ham in May 2024. His quicksilver movement could give the Hammers problems.
Rayan Cherki
Rayan Cherki only joined City over the summer, but he’s settled well. He’s got great vision and delivers sumptuous crosses. His rabona assist against Sunderland was something to savour!

Manchester City Team News

City have no fresh injury concerns. Rodri (hamstring) is still a few weeks away from a return, while John Stones remains unavailable.

West Ham Current Form – DLDDL

A season marked by toil and turbulence, Nuno Santo has tried to steady the ship over the past few months. Currently in the relegation zone, West Ham looked to have turned a corner with back-to-back wins against Newcastle and Burnley, respectively, last month.

However, they’ve seen performances spoiled by bad habits, including being susceptible to set-pieces. They produced a spirited performance against Aston Villa and took the lead twice before succumbing to defeat.

Against City, West Ham may have to soak up a lot of pressure and hit whenever they can on the counter.

Key Players

Jarrod Bowen
Leading from the front, Jarrod Bowen wears his heart on his sleeve, and he likes to get his shots off quickly. He netted twice against City in a 2-2 draw at home in May 2022, firing the Hammers into a 2-0 lead that day, so he’ll be hoping for better luck this time.
Freddie Potts
Thrust into the first team, Freddie Potts is an energetic and technically proficient midfielder who can work the ball in tight spaces, and he could give City something to think about.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
A marauding right-sided midfielder, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is good at creating overloads, and as a former Manchester United player, he would love to get one over City!

West Ham Team News

Oliver Scarles has been recovering from a shoulder injury, and he’s been earmarked for a return to action, but other than that, the Hammers have a clean bill of health

Predicted Line-Ups

Manchester City (4-3-2-1)
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Silva, Gonzalez, Foden, Cherki, Doku, Haaland
West Ham (3-4-1-2)
Areola, Mavropanos, Kilman, Todibo, Diouf, Wan-Bissaka, Fernandes, Potts, Paqueta, Bowen, Summerville

Suggested Bets

Over 2.5 goals: In each of the past five league encounters, the Over 2.5 goals line has been hit, so this could be a high-scoring affair. (8/25 with Kwiff)
Anytime Goalscorer – Erling Haaland: The Norwegian hitman relishes facing West Ham, and he hit a double inside 13 minutes in the corresponding fixture last term at the Etihad. Don’t be surprised if he hits the target! (2/5 with Leovegas)
Man City to Score First: Only once in the past four league outings have West Ham taken the lead, but City will want to get off to a strong start and make light work of the visitors. (1/4 with 10bet)

Value Bets

1st Half Highest-Scoring Half: The bulk of goals in recent meetings have been scored in the first 45 minutes of play, so this could be worth leaning into (9/5 with Spreadex)
Man City to Win 3-1 (Correct Score): Three of the past four encounters have seen City to win by this scoreline, so this result seems attainable (9/1 with Midnite)
Man City Total Shots on Target (Over 8.5): Recent clashes have seen City bombard West Ham’s goal, and it could be a similar story this weekend, so Over 8.5 shots on target doesn’t seem too fanciful. (8/5 with BetMGM)

Prediction: Manchester City to Win

West Ham have had a disastrous season to date, and it’s not a great time for them to run into City, who are on a roll. City have scored at least three times in each of their past five outings against West Ham, and with Haaland in ominous form, they could go for the jugular and rack up a few goals. While we don’t expect City to keep a clean sheet, they should pick up three points.

Charles PerrinSports Writer

Charles Perrin has spent over six years writing about sports betting, working with some of the UK’s top sportsbooks, including bet365 and William Hill.