The dreaded double whammy lurks for [West Ham United](https://www.claretandhugh.info/west-hams-relegation-veteran-lifting-the-mood-ahead-of-newcastle-visit/) – not just getting resoundingly beaten by Pep Guardiola’s men and being marooned in the bottom three over Christmas – but having to face the January transfer window looking sure-fire relegation candidates unless Nuno can upset the odds against his Spanish nemesis.
Indeed, West Ham’s manager not only has to upset this season’s form table to beat the Cityzens, he has to overturn a series of Manchester City’s unbeaten games _against sides in the relegation zone_ dating back to 2008 when Tottenham were the last bottom-three team to beat the light blues.
Which is another way of saying ‘_The Hammers chances are slim to none’._
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In recent meetings between the Hammers and the former champions, the aggregate score **stands at 43-7** over the last 14 games. A scary average of over three goals conceded by West Ham on each occasion they have taken on Pep’s team.
Sitting in the bottom three – as is more than likely – will be a further handicap for the recruitment team desperate for a striker in January.
You’d have to ask, who is likely to look favourably at joining a candidate for the drop to the championship without having a whole load of cash and a get-out clause added into their contract – à la [Demba Ba](https://www.claretandhugh.info/demba-ba-regrets-short-time-as-a-hammer/) in 2011 – and look how that turned out.
It’s looking like another of those games in which the Hammers will ‘take’ a moral victory back on the coach with them if they can limit the damage to a loss by ‘just’ a couple of goals.
Nobody who supports the Irons will be holding their breath, most will be hiding behind the sofa. Me included. With one hand on the keyboard, of course.