Is there really any point in a second leg? Such was the emphatic manner of Manchester City’s win in the Capital One Cup semi-final first leg here last night, they did not even need a second half.

Three goals up by the interval and coasting towards the final, Manuel Pellegrini’s side were every bit as dominant as West Ham had feared. The trip to Upton Park in  two weeks is nothing more than a  formality, as is their place at  Wembley on March 2.

Alvaro Negredo must take the plaudits for a well-taken hat-trick with his left foot but rarely can the Spaniard have had an easier night.

 

At times, West Ham’s defending was amateurish. City do not need any help scoring goals — especially at the Etihad where they now have 59 in 15 games this season — and there could have been far more  on a night when they fired 32 shots at goal.

Edin Dzeko scored another two and the Bosnian had lost count  of City’s tally by the time he was interviewed afterwards, mistakenly thinking it was five.

‘That happens sometimes,’ said Pellegrini with a knowing smile after his Champions League  miscalculation in Munich last month. As it rained goals on a wet night in Manchester, Sam Allardyce stood under heavy skies while the West Ham fans called for his head. 

In the stands, co-owner David  Sullivan, who gave his manager a vote of support this week, look equally unimpressed.

Allardyce was axed by Blackburn shortly after a 7-1 defeat across town at Manchester United in 2010, and on the sixth anniversary of his sacking by Newcastle he must have left fearing the chop again.

 

 

 

 

Eden Dzeko's first goal - and City's fifth - came at the end of a ridiculous passing move. Check out this and all the other stats from City's drubbing over West Ham in our fantastic Match Zone here

 

Toure scored City’s third five minutes before half-time after more shocking defending by West Ham as he broke from halfway. Johnson went into reverse while Guy Demel and Mark Noble gave chase, but nobody got a challenge in before the City player drilled the ball home from 10 yards.

Half-time brought no respite for the visitors as City extended their lead within four minutes. David  Silva’s cross deflected to Negredo, who made no mistake with another assured finish with his left foot.

It was left to Dzeko to grab the last two goals, the first when Silva picked out overlapping Gael Clichy, whose low cross was turned in at the near post by the Serb.

Then Nasri’s clever backheel let substitute Aleksandar Kolarov cross for Dzeko to crack in an emphatic sixth.

The West Ham fans turned on Allardyce, who stood impassively on the touchline as the rain came down. Whether he will still be there when City go to Upton Park later this month remains to be seen.