Match ends, Manchester City 6, West Ham United 0.
Man CityManchester City6West HamWest Ham United0
West Ham United's fans turned their fury on manager Sam Allardyce as they suffered a second cup humiliation in a week - this time at Manchester City's hands.
Allardyce was given the public support of co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan after the embarrassment of a 5-0 FA Cup third-round defeat at Championship side Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
But their travelling supporters delivered a different verdict after Manchester City went one better in the Capital One Cup semi-final first leg.
Alvaro Negredo scored a hat-trick as City made it 59 goals in 15 home games this season, while rain-soaked West Ham supporters chanted venomously against Allardyce after showing commendable patience in the face of this latest fiasco.
City were, as usual on their own ground, irresistible in attack but West Ham's lack of resistance or passion was nothing short of pathetic.
It was eventually all too much for the Hammers' fans, whose views will have been heard loud and clear by Sullivan as he sat looking thoroughly miserable in the directors' box.
Negredo's treble was the centrepiece of another dazzling attacking display by City, who have effectively secured a place at Wembley by making the second leg at Upton Park a formality.
The Spanish striker scored twice early on and Yaya Toure added a third before half-time. Negredo completed his treble shortly after half-time and Edin Dzeko deservedly added two more to complete West Ham's misery.
West Ham may be short on numbers but there can be no excuses for a performance that fell short in every respect. It was a betrayal of the fans who travelled to the Etihad Stadium expecting much more than they saw at the City Ground on Sunday.
And it was a sobering night for Allardyce as he was booed by West Ham's fans, who look to have lost faith in their manager after this latest heavy beating.
The Hammers made eight changes from the Forest debacle, giving an instant debut to defensive loan signing Roger Johnson - but it was the same old miserable story.
City started the rout with a goal of simplicity and brilliance. Toure's long pass dropped perfectly over Negredo's shoulder and the Spanish striker demonstrated supreme technique to take it on the volley with his left foot and beat goalkeeper Adrian.
West Ham were negligent in all areas. City possessed the superior talent but were aided by a lack of anything resembling a competitive edge from their hapless opponents.
Allardyce's defence had no answer to City's attacking variety and the second goal was only a matter of time. Negredo was the scorer again, the recipient of Dzeko's fine pass before sending an angled finish past Adrian.
Toure had required lengthy treatment, and a spell off the pitch, after injuring his ankle - but he recovered well enough to expose more dreadful defending and effectively seal this semi-final before half-time.
He advanced through the centre of the pitch, with Johnson retreating alarmingly until it was too late, before rolling a shot past a badly exposed keeper.
Any suggestion City might consolidate was dismissed within four minutes of the restart when Negredo completed his hat-trick with another moment of real quality, sweeping a precise shot past Adrian after David Silva's shot had been half-blocked.
The scale of West Ham's ineptitude can be measured by the fact that City were not even required to go anywhere near top gear to demolish them.
Dzeko had worked hard in support of Negredo and was rewarded with a goal of his own on the hour, turning in Silva's cross at the near post.
It was the signal for the start of loud anti-Allardyce chanting from West Ham's fans, who had supported their team until that point.
The only West Ham player to emerge with a semblance of credit was Adrian, who made some fine saves to keep the score down.
He was powerless, however, to anything about the final flourish from City as Dzeko thrashed home a thunderous finish from Aleksandar Kolarov's cross.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini:
"It was a brilliant performance, the way we played the 90 minutes. In football, it is never finished. Tonight was an important step but if we were able to score six goals, it was because of the way the team played.
"Alvaro Negredo had a good match not only because he scored two goals but also because he was the link with the midfield. It was the same thing for Edin Dzeko.
"They were not playing very well together before because they were not used to it - but the more matches they play, the better they are."
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 4-2-2-2
- 30Pantilimon
- 5Zabaleta
- 22Clichy
- 42Y TouréSubstituted forDemichelisat 66'minutes
- 4Kompany
- 6Lescott
- 8Nasri
- 14García Fernández
- 9NegredoSubstituted forKolarovat 79'minutes
- 10Dzeko
- 21SilvaSubstituted forRony Lopesat 73'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Hart
- 7Milner
- 13Kolarov
- 25Fernandinho
- 26Demichelis
- 33Nastasic
- 64Rony Lopes
West Ham
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Adrián
- 20Demel
- 17O'BrienSubstituted forRatat 75'minutes
- 21Diamé
- 28Johnson
- 3McCartney
- 16NobleSubstituted forDiarraat 57'minutes
- 14Taylor
- 11MaigaSubstituted forColeat 45'minutes
- 23Downing
- 26Cole
Substitutes
- 7Jarvis
- 8Rat
- 10Collison
- 15Morrison
- 18Diarra
- 22Jääskeläinen
- 24Cole
- Referee:
- Jonathan Moss
- Attendance:
- 30,381
Match Stats
Home TeamMan CityAway TeamWest Ham
- Possession
- Home69%
- Away31%
- Shots
- Home32
- Away3
- Shots on Target
- Home11
- Away1
- Corners
- Home8
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away9
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester City 6, West Ham United 0.
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Attempt blocked. Aleksandar Kolarov (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Edin Dzeko.
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Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Mohamed Diamé (West Ham United).
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Attempt saved. Samir Nasri (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Joleon Lescott.
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Aleksandar Kolarov (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Guy Demel (West Ham United).
Goal!
Goal! Manchester City 6, West Ham United 0. Edin Dzeko (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Aleksandar Kolarov.
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Aleksandar Kolarov (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Mohamed Diamé (West Ham United).
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Foul by Edin Dzeko (Manchester City).
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Roger Johnson (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Aleksandar Kolarov (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Martín Demichelis.
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Attempt missed. Edin Dzeko (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Aleksandar Kolarov with a cross.
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Aleksandar Kolarov (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Guy Demel (West Ham United).
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Vincent Kompany (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Joe Cole (West Ham United).
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Attempt missed. Marcos Lopes (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
