Man City 2 West Ham 1: Guardiola's side leave it late again to retain lead over Man Utd

David Silva may not always get the headlines he deserves these days thanks to City’s long list of attacking stars.

But the Spanish magician, who signed a new deal this week, showed again how he is still a vital part of Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering football machine.

And he also showed what a brilliant player he still is, if anyone needed reminding. City fans certainly don’t as they get to watch his brilliance every week.

It was his late acrobatic strike here against West Ham that sealed City’s 13th consecutive win in a single Premier League season, a run only matched by Arsenal and Chelsea in the past.

And it came when it looked like City might be running out of ideas before they overturned a first-half deficit against a resolute West Ham.

Nicolas Otamendi had earlier levelled after Angelo Ogbonna headed the Hammers into an unlikely lead.

City then came up against an in-form Adrian, who started ahead of Joe Hart as the on-loan keeper could not play against his parent club, and were finding gaps hard to find in an almost leak-proof Hammers defence.

But then Silva showed his class and stealth to ghost into the visitors’ area almost unnoticed and meet Kevin De Bruyne’s exceptional ball in.

It was not just the run but also the way he turned his body, rose to get his left boot to the pass and make it look like it was effortless as he guided the ball past Adrian, who was rooted to the spot.

City’s remarkable run continues and they are now unbeaten in 28 games in all competitions and haven’t tasted a league defeat since April as they restored their eight-point lead at the top of the table.

West Ham made a game of it though when nobody gave them a chance – especially not the bookmakers as some had them as long as 25/1 to win.

David Moyes’ response to a question about the Hammers’ chances of taking points from a run of games that also includes clash with London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal was, “You never know”.

The optimism seemed misplaced, especially considering it came after they were thumped 4-0 by Everton in midweek.

But, despite setting up with five at the back in a defend at all cost approach, they had the better of the early chances with Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini going close.

The atmosphere inside the Etihad was flat as they had turned up to see their side steamroll the struggling Hammers but it was the visitors who were ahead just before the break.

Aaron Cresswell’s cross after a short corner was met by the towering Ogbonna and the upset looked on with City rarely threatening in the opening 45 and Guardiola’s decision to rest some key players looking ill-advised.

The City boss no doubt gave his side a rollicking at half-time like the one Southampton star Nathan Redmond got in midweek and he also swapped Danilo for Gabriel Jesus at the break.

The changed certainly worked as City upped their intensity and De Bruyne forced Adrian into a top save from a free-kick in the 56th minute.

A few moments later the equaliser came as the half-time substitute lashed across the area and Otamendi slid in to turn home, via West Ham defender Declan Rice.

It looked inevitable that City would get the winner but Adrian was out to impress with Hart unable to play and he pulled off saves to deny two strikes from Leroy Sane.

His best stop was when he pushed away a long-range effort from Jesus before Raheem Sterling fluffed the rebound and the stand-in keeper may have given Moyes something to think about for next week’s clash with Chelsea.

But he could do nothing about Silva’s sumptuous finish in the 83rd minute as City grabbed a late winner for the fourth game in a row.

Antonio had a chance before that and Diafra Sakho should have equalised in stoppage time, but there were positives to take in defeat for Moyes’ relegation-threatened side going forward.

City now travel to the Ukraine for a Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk with the group already won and then they visit Old Trafford to face neighbours United.

Victory there would not only put 11 points between them and their rivals in second place but also equal Arsenal’s run of 14 straight league wins, which was over two seasons.

Plenty more records will fall if City remain unbeatable though.