Phil Foden rescues point for Man City at West Ham

Phil Foden came off the bench to rescue a point for Manchester City in a 1-1 draw with West Ham at London Stadium on Saturday.

The hosts took the lead against the run of play in the 18th minute with Michail Antonio hooking a brilliant finish over his head to stun City. Since Premier League football restarted in June, only Harry Kane (12) has scored more Premier League goals than Antonio (11).

City needed some inspiration and turned to young Foden from the bench at half time, and the England international made an instant impact as he levelled with his third of the season in the 51st minute.

With West Ham losing Antonio to injury, City looked set to make it three wins in a week, but the Hammers held firm and saw out the draw that keeps them above City in the table.

The headline news ahead of kick off was that Pep Guardiola named an unchanged City side in consecutive games for the first time since October 2017 against Stoke and Napoli.

As we got under way, West Ham were happy to sit back before hitting the visitors on the counter, and that tactic worked a treat as, out of nowhere, Vladimir Coufal clipped a cross into the middle, and Antonio did the rest to score his 11th goal in his last 12 Premier League games in style. There was a hint of handball in the build-up from Tomas Soucek, which may have been penalised last season, but the goal was allowed to stand.

City dominated possession, but did little with the ball in the first half. That all changed, however, when Foden came on, with Joao Cancelo setting Foden up for the equaliser. The finish was a fine one, on the turn.

The chances came and went for City to win it late on, with Raheem Sterling missing the best of them, as Guardiola's side remain in the bottom half, having won just two of five league games.

It was clear towards the end of the first half that Sergio Aguero was carrying some form of injury. With the games coming thick and fast at the moment, it is difficult for Aguero to get back to full fitness slowly, but perhaps he should not have started at London Stadium.

With Gabriel Jesus out injured, Pep Guardiola's strike options are limited, but a half-fit Aguero offered next to nothing in attack.

Guardiola admitted that Aguero was injured when he went off at half time, and how long he will be out for is unclear, but City could be forced to play an unrelenting run of upcoming fixtures without a focal point of the attack.

Foden now has become a game-changer for City. The visitors looked like a different team when the young midfielder came on, and he deservedly got the goal that saved a point. His dynamism was what City were lacking in the first half.

West Ham: Fabianski 7, Cresswell 6, Balbuena 7, Ogbonna 8, Masuaku 8, Rice 8, Soucek 7, Coufal 7, Fornals 7, Bowen 6, Antonio 8... Subs: Yarmolenko 6, Haller 6.

Man City: Ederson 6, Walker 6, Dias 6, Garcia 6, Cancelo 7, Gundogan 6, Rodrigo 5, Silva 5, Sterling 6, Aguero 5, Mahrez 4... Subs: Zinchenko N/A, De Bruyne 6, Foden 8.

18’ - GGGGOOOOOOAAALLLLL!!! West Ham 1-0 Man City. Michail Antonio with a overhead kick!!! Out of nowhere, Vladimir Coufal clips a cross into the middle, Antonio holds off Dias, before hooking the ball over his head into the net. What a start from the Hammers! Antonio is unstoppable this season!

27’ – CHANCE! Great cross from Joao Cancelo to the back post, Mahrez guides it back across on the stretch, but Lukasz Fabianski gathers.

51’ - GGGOOOOOAAAALLLLL!!! West Ham 1-1 Man City. There is the impact from the substitute Foden as he levels. Fine play from Cancelo again to get to the byline, he pulls it back for Foden, who controls, swivels and drills into the net. Game on!

78’ - CLOSE! Lovely change of pace from Cancelo, who remains the biggest threat, he crosses, Balbuena sticks out a leg and just, just gets it the ball past the post.

84’ - CHANCE! Fornals just breaks the offside trap, races clear of Gundogan, Ederson comes well off his line to meet Fornals, who tries to chip the Brazilian, but gets it all wrong and Ederson gathers with ease.

86’ - BIG SAVE! De Bruyne threads it through for Sterling, who looks odds on to score, but Fabianski races from his line to block at the feet of Sterling. Big chance.

West Ham have lost just two of their last 10 Premier League games (W4 D4 L2), going unbeaten in each of the last four (W2 D2).

Man City have conceded in three consecutive Premier League games in London for the first time since January 2016 under Manuel Pellegrini, when the third game in that run also came against West Ham.

West Ham manager David Moyes registered his first point against Man City in the Premier League since March 2013, winning 2-0 with Everton. Indeed, prior to today’s game, he’d lost the last seven against the Citizens in the top-flight.