West Ham United: Fabianski, Zabaleta, Balbuena, Diop, Masuaku, Obiang, Rice, Diangana, Anderson, Arnautovic, Antonio. Subs: Adrian, Cresswell, Carroll, Noble, Chicharito, Ogbonna, Perez.
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Silva, Sane, Aguero, Sterling. Subs: Muric, Kompany, Stones, Mahrez, Jesus, Zinchenko, Foden.
Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistants: Scott Ledger, Simon Long
Fourth official: Keith Stroud

The maginifcent 'fairly financed' Manchester City showboat rolls up at The London Stadium this weekend where 'Pelle's men will take on 'Pep's, the gulf in class will be obvious and many people will have written the home team's chances off without a thought. Manuel Pellegrini was replaced by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City despite winning the Premier League, the way he took the decision further ingratiated him with the City supporters who named him 'this gentle man' after the Smiths song of the same title.

The media love a good transfer story to fill gaps left by the International void, England's last gasp win has ensured the country's presence at the Nations Cup finals next year thus ensuring the oiling of press expense accounts much to the relief of 'deprived' journo's! But as they say never let the truth get in the way of a good story, so the Arnoutovic to moving to either Man Utd, Man city or Chelsea are par to the course, Arnie is dammned if he talks and dammned if he doesn't.

The final piece of the Jigsaw is being sought by West Ham United as they attempt to construct the finest 'ghost squad' in the Barclays Premier League, European qualification is already guaranteed this early in the season and it is all but agreed that the club should push for the World Ghost Squad finals such is the belief in the 'team', the only vacant berth is in the goalkeeping area!

Huddersfield: Lossl, Hadergjonaj, Zanka, Schindler, Kongolo, Lowe, Hogg, Billing, Mooy, Pritchard, Mounie. Subs: Hamer, Smith, Bacuna, Kachunga, Mbenza, Depoitre, Durm
West Ham: Fabianski, Zabaleta, Balbuena, Diop, Cresswell, Rice, Obiang, Snodgrass, Anderson, Diangana, Arnautovic. Subs: Adrian, Hernandez, Ogbonna, Fredericks, Masuaku, Perez, Antonio

With the exception of Europe's elite clubs, many of which are rumoured to be questionably funded, there are few teams if any that can afford to pay a player £7 Million per year in wages and yet only use them very sparingly. Javier Hernandez arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for a £16 Million fee but on enormous wages, he has barely been used by initially Slaven Billic, then David Moyes and now present manager Manuel Pellegrini.

There has been substantial coverage of the 'penalty' that should have been given during Hammers victory over Burnley at the London Stadium, the BBC match of the day reviewers and the match commentator Jonathan Pearce all agreed that Grady Diangana was clearly brought down in the box and deserved to have been awarded a penalty, replays confirmed the validity of the penalty comprehensively. Even referee supremo Mark Clattenburg came out of his cosseted closset to say "I am shocked that West Ham were not awarded a penalty when Grady Diangana was felled by Steven Defour.

Several meaningful events occured before during and after West Ham United's wonderful 4-2 victory over Burnley at the London Stadium, firstly there was the surreal presence of a helicopter flying very very low over the Olympic Park, it eventually landed right next to the Bobby Moore five a side pitch across from the canal in order to airlift someone who had collapsed on the turnpike near Hackney Wick station, we are still awaiting news of the outcome and hope that the victim makes a speedy recovery.

West Ham Utd: Fabianski, Zabaleta, Diop, Balbuena, Cresswell, Obiang, Rice, Snodgrass, Anderson, Diangana, Arnautovic. Subs: Adrian, Ogbonna, Fredericks, Chicharito, Masuaku, Antonio
Burnley FC: Hart, Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee,Taylor, Lennon, Westwood, Cork, McNeil, Hendrick, Wood Subs: Heaton,

Manuel Pellegrini is a serial winner and despite his mild demeanor the Hammers manager could barely conceal his anger following the club's loss to Tottenham on Wednesday evening, it wasn't so much the loss but the manner of it that so irked the 65 year old Chilean. Pellegrini's thinly veiled comments were directed fairly and squarely at Felipe Anderson among others who were culpable.