Julen Lopetegui is under no illusions over the quality of Manchester City, despite their recent form, as West Ham prepare to visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

City ended their Premier League struggles with a 2-0 victory over Leicester City last time out, though the four-in-a-row champions still sit sixth and 14 points adrift of leaders Liverpool.

The Leicester win marked only a second victory in their last 14 games across all competitions – but Lopetegui knows of the quality City's side pose, regardless of their struggles.

"Manchester City are one of the best teams in the world," the West Ham boss said on Thursday. "You can talk about recent weeks, but I know the quality of the team that we’re going to face.

"They are a very good team, with very good players and a top coach, who have played with the same ideas for a long time. We are going to have a very demanding match.

"But, we have to put the focus on the strengths we have, and believe that we are able to overcome these demands.

"We try to improve things, whether we win, draw or lose games, and we are working hard to be ready to play Manchester City at their home on Saturday."

West Ham were hammered by Liverpool in Sunday's 5-0 defeat, leaving them 13th in the table heading into 2025 – and that loss was compounded by an injury to Jarrod Bowen.

"Let's see, but it's not going to be a few days for sure," Lopetegui said of his captain and star forward. "It's not good news for us, but it's the moment for other players.

"We are sure that Jarrod is going to make the time that he has to recover [as short as possible], because of his character, but it's true that he's going to be out of the next matches."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester City – Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland has scored seven goals in just five Premier League games against West Ham, so the Norway talisman will fancy his chances of adding to his account here.

However, only one of those goals has come at the Etihad – where Guardiola's side have not won since December 4 against Nottingham Forest.

West Ham – Mohammed Kudus

Bowen's absence may see Mohammed Kudus shifted to the right-hand side of Lopetegui's attack, a place in which he could pose some counter-attacking threat.

Kudus was one of few to impress last time out against Liverpool, creating two chances and managing two shots – one of those against the woodwork of Alisson's goal.

MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN

The Opta supercomputer's pre-match predictions struggled to see past anything other than a home win, and that would not come as a surprise considering this pair's head-to-head record.

Indeed, Man City have won 14 of their last 15 Premier League home games against West Ham (L1), including the last eight in a row since a 2-1 loss in September 2015.

Those last eight victories at the Etihad have all come under Guardiola, with only former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger boasting a better 100% home win rate against an opponent in the competition (11/11 vs Leicester City, 10/10 vs Stoke City).

It could be another bleak outing for the visitors, who are winless in their last 18 Premier League games against Man City overall – against no side have the Hammers had a longer such run in their league history (also 18 vs Liverpool between 1983 and 1994).

West Ham have also conceded at least once in each of their last 24 Premier League games against Saturday's hosts. Only against Sunderland have they had a longer run without a clean sheet in their league history (25 between 1923 and 1968).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Man City win – 68.3%

Draw – 17.2%

West Ham win – 14.5%