In a snow-covered Etihad stadium, champions Manchester City grind out a 2-1 victory against a high-flying West Ham United side in the Premier League on Sunday. Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring in the 33rd minute and Fernandinho added a late second as the champions kept up the pressure at the top of the points table.

However, West Ham pulled one back in the stoppage time when Manuel Lanzini scored a screamer with what was the final kick of the game. 

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The match was characterised by snowfall throughout the first half and the interval had to be extended while the pitch was cleared.

Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez both struck the post for City, who dominated the game for lengthy stretches, but West Ham were difficult to eliminate.

After Declan Rice had threatened to score a sensational equaliser seconds earlier, replacement Fernandinho’s last-minute goal sealed the tie for City.

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The Hammers had made a good start against a City team that was missing Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, and Phil Foden.

Michail Antonio broke through the defence and almost teed up Said Benrahma, but the Algerian’s foot was trapped under the ball.

Later, Benrahma caught another attempt from outside the area cleanly, but Ederson was up to the task.

The finest chance of the first half came from a corner, when Laporte’s looping header scraped the crossbar.

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Just after the hour, Mahrez collected a crossfield pass and placed it into the box, giving City the lead. Gundogan was given with a straightforward close-range finish after a lucky deflection deflected it into his path.

West Ham began to see a possibility to get a point as the game progressed, but Ederson saved Rice’s long-range effort with a fantastic stop.

In the penultimate minute, Fernandinho calmed City’s anxieties before Lanzini scored with the game’s practically final kick.

With inputs from the Associated Press