Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano said hours before the victory over West Ham that he could “feel” the support of the fans following their two-year ban from the Champions League.
At the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night it wasn’t as visible as he may have wanted but there were hints of what is to come when Uefa are in town for the last-16 clash with Real Madrid next month.
More bad weather and a rearranged game meant it was only a lukewarm response to Uefa's punishment with the Etihad only three-quarters full for a run-of-the-mill victory over the relegation-threatened Hammers.
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There were pockets of discontent - banners behind the goal proclaimed "Uefa Mafia" and "Uefa Cartel” while chants of “F*** off Uefa, we'll see you in court" reverberated around the ground following Aymeric Laporte’s opening goal. Whether some fans are frustrated that the club have fallen foul of European rules will become clearer in three weeks’ time when the Spanish giants visit and the Champions League anthem is booed before the kick-off.
While the fans’ verdict can wait, Pep Guardiola needs to be certain that his players haven’t been affected by the European expulsion with the first leg in Santiago Bernabeu just seven days away. And the Catalan will be happy that the passion and energy of his players has been unaffected, even if the recent problems in finishing haven’t gone away.
Guardiola has his leaders in the dressing room, including captain David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, and the two midfielders set the tempo.
Silva is the quiet man, who inspires by going where others follow and the Spaniard pressed and harried enthusiastically as he carved open the Hammers defence with his clever passes. But the 34-year-old only has interest in this season’s Champions League; it’s the only winners’ medal missing from his collection and with a summer departure confirmed, this is his last chance whatever happens.
De Bruyne’s response carries more weight and the Belgian led the high press, forcing the Hammers into mistakes; his desire to drive home the second showed he has lost none of his appetite as did his 80-yard sprint to stop Michail Antonio late in the game.
Just as important was the body language of Guardiola. The City boss has committed to seeing out the final 16 months of his contract and there were no signs of a loss of enthusiasm. There was the usual frantic patrolling of the technical area, a hurried sprint to recover a ball for a throw-in inside 15 minutes and passionate encouragement for the out-of-form John Stones when he came on as a second-half substitute.
Calling off the game 10 days ago may have been an annoyance but it could just give Guardiola and his side the momentum they are looking for ahead of the Spain trip.
West Ham were nothing more than a training opponent, prompted by a relegation battle and an inferior complex to Guardiola’s City that has now seen them lose nine games to the Catalan, conceding 30 goals. A comfortable win could well be the calm before the storm that is brewing in Europe.
