West Ham 1 Manchester City 0: West Ham's Jack Collison was the match-winner as Manchester City's European success in midweek was quickly replaced by familiar struggles in the Barclays Premier League.
City dumped FC Copenhagen out of the Uefa Cup on Thursday but again saw their domestic ambitions dented by a lacklustre display at Upton Park.
Robinho was sorely off-form for City, drifting in and out of the game and tapping wide from two yards, but they nearly stole a point when Elano’s 90th-minute free-kick clipped the post.
With 71 minutes they were in even finer voice as they celebrated Collison’s perfectly executed finish.
Savio Nsereko, on as Valon Behrami’s replacement, claimed the assist after his swerving effort forced Shay Given to parry the ball back into the penalty box.
But the finish was equally impressive as Collison lifted the rebound into the top corner with the side of his foot to beat the scrambling goalkeeper.
Substitute Elano teed up Robinho with a clever back-heel as City tried to respond but by once again his attempt flew wide.
Felipe Caicedo was not having it any better, twice missing the goal from good positions.
For the Hammers, injuries were now the chief concern, with Carlton Cole moving gingerly after turning his ankle.
A late free-kick almost made it 1-1 when Elano’s flighted effort struck the post via Lucas Neill’s head, but West Ham held on.
Blackburn add to Hull’s woes
Hull 1 Blackburn 2:A quickfire double from Stephen Warnock and Keith Andrews secured a vital three points for Blackburn at Hull this afternoon.
The pair struck within two first-half minutes of each other to settle a tense and eventful Barclays Premier League survival tussle at the KC Stadium.
Ian Ashbee gave Hull late hope in a game which saw the Tigers’ Dean Marney and Blackburn’s Morten Gamst Pedersen sent off but Rovers held on.
Pedersen was the second player to be dismissed after 70 minutes when he was given his second yellow card for a late tackle on Kamil Zayatte.
Ian Ashbee gave Hull late hope when he blasted a crisp volley past Jason Brown from a Bernard Mendy cross with 12 minutes remaining.
Andy Dawson was booked for a foul on El-Hadji Diouf on the edge of the area but the Senegal international also earned a yellow card for claiming he should have had a penalty.
Sam Allardyce decided to withdraw Diouf for his own good soon after.
Andy Dawson brought a fine save out of Brown with a strong shot in injury time and Michael Turner also shot wide but Hull were to be frustrated again.
