A result like this almost counts as a shock in the parlance of the modern Premier League. Manchester City don't tend to do squeaky home wins, not often anyway.
Not that this wasn't deserved. West Ham created one chance all night while City could have scored five or six goals. They were comfortably the better team.
However, Pep Guardiola's team were strangely off colour in front of goal. While Liverpool were rediscovering their real selves at Anfield, City occasionally looked a little lost when entering the West Ham penalty area and that was unusual.
Sergio Aguero slotted away his 59th minute spot kick to give Manchester City the lead against West Ham United
Aguero buried his penalty to the goalkeeper's left, sending him the wrong way, after Bernardo Silva was fouled in the area
There was debate over whether the penalty should have been rewarded, but the City players and supporters celebrated
Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson; Danilo, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko; De Bruyne, Gundogan, D. Silva; Mahrez (Sterling 55), Aguero (Foden 85), Sane (B. Silva 57)
Unused subs: Muric, Walker, Mendy, Sandler
Goal: Aguero pen 59
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Johnson (Zabaleta 63); Obiang, Rice; Antonio, Nasri (Lanzini 46), Felipe Anderson (Diangana 77); Carroll
Unused subs: Adrian, Noble, Snodgrass, Chicarito
Bookings: Fredericks 41, Antonio 87
Sergio Aguero buried his penalty to the goalkeeper's left after Bernardo Silva was fouled in the area. For more stats and facts, check out our exclusive MATCH ZONE service by clicking here.
The winning goal arrived from the penalty spot just before the hour and in itself was a strange affair. Substitute Bernardo Silva fell under a rather lame challenge from Felipe Anderson and Sergio Aguero scored.
It was one of those that could have been given and equally may not have been. It wasn't a huge error from referee Stuart Attwell but then it was also hard to see exactly where the contact was.
What muddied the waters further was something that happened less than a minute earlier. Controlling the ball with back to goal in the penalty box, Aguero was clattered from behind and fell to ground.
That one really did look like a penalty but wasn't given. Was this playing on Attwell's mind when he made his second big decision so soon afterwards? Only he will know but it's possible.
Before VAR arrives and robs them of much of their power and personality, referees will remain susceptible to the quirks of the human condition and it could be that City were on the right end of a close call on this occasion. Guardiola will not worry. Liverpool are not strangers to getting the occasional penalty call and maybe it was City's turn.
Aguero slotted home just before the hour mark as City continue to keep pace with Liverpool at the top of the league table
Kevin De Bruyne came close early on for City, firing wide of Lukasz Fabianski's goal from a long distance out
David Silva missed a good opportunity to open the scoring, turning De Bruyne's cross wide of the West Ham goal
Aguero shoots wide under pressure from Angelo Ogbonna, as City dominated but could not
