Victor Moses celebrates with Dimitri Payet after scoring the first goal for West Ham 19/9/2015 (Photo: Reuters)
Manchester City's perfect start to the Premier League season ended Saturday with a 2-1 home loss to West Ham, which extended its stunning run of away results.
West Ham needed only six minutes to take the lead, with Victor Moses firing in from long range as City conceded its first league goal of the campaign. It doubled the lead in the 31st when striker Diafra Sakho turned the ball in after a goalmouth scramble from a corner.
Kevin De Bruyne pulled a goal back for City on the stroke of halftime from 20 yards, his first for the club since signing from Wolfsburg, after a neat pass from Sergio Aguero. But the hosts were unable to break down West Ham's stubborn defense again.
City playmaker David Silva didn't play after feeling stiffness in his calf during the warm-up, meaning Jesus Navas moved into the starting lineup but produced an underwhelming display.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini refused to use the Silva injury as a reason for his side's second loss in as many games, after it was beaten 2-1 by Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday.
"No excuses about that, we have other players," Pellegrini said. "I think we played too fast in the second half, too rushed. You must be more calm but when you are two goals down, it is difficult. We had a lot of chances to score."
West Ham has now beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and City in its three away games and manager Slaven Bilic said Saturday's win was the toughest of the lot.
"This was a different game to the one at the Emirates and the one at Anfield. This one was much, much harder," Bilic said. "In the second half, City pressed us and were the better team. We deserved it for the way we played in the first half and our fight in the second. You have got no chance if you are not sprinting in the last minute of the game."
West Ham captain Mark Noble did not expect his team to record three away victories to start the season.
"We knew we would come here and not have much of the ball," Noble said. "I think if you see today and in the last three away games, the way the boys work for each other and the quality we have got now, it is exciting times for West Ham."
City still tops the standings on 15 points, with West Ham now three points back in second.
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