Pep Guardiola body language exposes Man City reality - but backs up his point

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Manchester City were not at their best against West Ham but got the job done as Pep Guardiola looks for his side to keep growing

For the first 20 minutes of the second half against West Ham, Pep Guardiola could be found either on his haunches or his knees as he looked like he was being tortured by an invisible foe. The Manchester City manager is so expressive on the touchline that every West Ham pass through a City line hit him and sent his anxiety levels soaring.

It was enough for him to make a triple substitution just after the hour mark, bringing on Savinho, Rico Lewis and Abdukodir Khusanov as he looked to give his team an injection of clarity to try and get the control back in their game. Minutes later, it was 3-0 and the Blues were heading to the top of the Premier League table for the first time since the opening day when they won at Wolves.

Such has been the transformation at the Etihad in a relatively short space of time. It was only 12 months ago that City's last home game before Christmas was that horrible derby defeat to a dismal Manchester United, followed by a trip to Villa Park where it almost flattered them to be called second-best.

This team is still far from perfect, and if Guardiola's body language wasn't clear enough on that in the second half he will have made sure his players know about it before their next game. But they have come an awfully long way from the side that couldn't buy a win at this point last season.

The first half very much felt like a City team of old, with Erling Haaland giving City the lead inside five minutes against a side that played like prime candidates for relegation. The home team dominated to the point where it looked like an exhibition match at times, but only had an extra score from Tijjani Reijnders to show for it at the break.

That could have been costly when they came out unable to shut out some belated West Ham fight. Mateus Fernandes blasted wide at the end of one move while Jarrod Bowen twice went close to getting a goal back and making a game of it - hence Guardiola's nervousness.

Ultimately there was nothing to worry about though, and when you have a goalscorer as lethal as Haaland - he now has 19 Premier League goals in 17 appearances this season - that is quite the edge. If he stays fit, he will surely trouble his Premier League record of 36 in a single campaign.

City are not yet where Guardiola wants them to be in terms of performance, but no Blue will be down this Christmas with the position the team have worked themselves into. If they can keep growing, as the manager expects they will, there will be plenty to celebrate in 2026.