Match Preview: Man City Begin Premier League Title Defence Against West Ham

• Premier League champions Man City travel to West Ham United in their opening fixture in the 2022-23 season
• Man City boss will look to kick start his season off on a winning note after stumbling to an opening day defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last term
• West Ham on the other side of the coin will look to throw a spanner in the works of Man City following a pulsating 2-2 draw in this fixture last season

Manchester City will look to shrug off their Community Shield defeat to Liverpool last Saturday when they cross swords with West Ham in their opening Premier League game.

Pep Guardiola's charges begin their title defence at the London Stadium, a venue which has proved a difficult hunting ground for the Cityzens in the past three seasons.

The Spaniard tactician may have lost Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho and Gabriel Jesus but has moved swiftly to replace them with precocious Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, pacy forward Julian Alvarez and Kalvin Philips.

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Meanwhile, West Ham have added more firepower to their roster with the purchase of Gianluca Scamacca - who netted 16 times in the Serie A last term - as the Hammers aim to fight on both European and domestic fronts this season.

Man City manager, who has inspired the Cityzens to four of the last five Premier League titles, Pep Guardiola is anticipating a tough season - which begins against West Ham.

"I have the feeling every time we start the press conference that this season is harder. I think next season cannot be harder but it is. Every club is getting better, they have desires.

"Everyone. Not just one team, many teams do it well, and the qualities and managers are exceptional. That's why the Premier League is the best.

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David Moyes, who has coached in the Premier League for 18 seasons, concedes the opening fixture against City will be incredibly tough.

"We’re playing Man City and it is incredibly tough. Of course, they are going to come here and have a hard game as well.

"I think you consider all of the areas. You are against a top-class side who have been for many years and we will see that once again this season as well."

Team News

West Ham

The London outfit will be playing in the Premier for the first time in over a decade without long-serving skipper Mark Noble, who left the club at the end of last term.

New signing Nayef Aguerd is out injured after taking an ankle issue in pre-season limiting David Moyes’ choices at the back as Issa Diop is seeking a move away.

Gianluca Scamacca, the marquee signing for West Ham, will not be available for Sunday's tie against the Premier League champions.

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Maxwell Cornet, who joined the Hammers from Burnley, might just make the bench for the home side.

Man City

Manchester City put new striker Erling Haaland in from the start in the Community Shield defeat to Liverpool and is expected to lead the attack.

Aymeric Laporte is out injured for the first couple of games this season, while fellow defender John Stones is a doubt. Nathan Ake could start as a result.

Predicted line-ups

West Ham United (4-2-3-1)

Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Dawson, Johnson; Rice, Soucek; Bowen, Fornals, Lanzini; Antonio

Manchester City (4-3-3)

Ederson; Walker, Dias, Ake, Cancelo; Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish

Players to watch

Jarrod Bowen netted a brace in this fixture last term and would look to continue from where he left off. Michail Antonio, who notched double figures, and skipper Declan Rice would be expected to lead the West Ham challenge in what promises to be a keenly contested tie.

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Despite firing blank in the Community Shield, Haaland might kick start his goal-scoring spree against West Ham. He would become the seventh Norwegian to score on his Premier League debut should he find the back of the net.

De Bruyne will be expected to come to the party with his incisive and defence-splitting passes interlaced with his powerful drives as the leader of Pep's attacking machinery.