Fuelled by the disappointment of last season’s UEFA Europa League semi-final defeat, David Moyes has bolstered his West Ham frontline with the addition of Gianluca Scamacca, who netted 16 times in Serie A (SA) last season. The Italian is one of four notable additions as West Ham again bid to fight on both a European and domestic front this season. The match is scheduled to kick off at 4:30pm and live results can be followed on Flashscore.

Scamacca alone may not be enough to see West Ham off to a winning start considering Manchester City are the visitors to the London Stadium. The Hammers have never beaten City in the Premier League (PL) at their new home (D2, L4), but after defeating Newcastle 4-2 on opening day last season, Moyes’ side are going in search of back-to- back PL matchday one wins for the first time since 2013/14.

City are no strangers to final day PL drama, and had to turn around a 2-0 deficit against Aston Villa to win 3-2 and secure a sixth PL trophy. Never one to rest on his laurels, Pep Guardiola has gone big in the transfer market this summer, adding Kalvin Phillips and arguably the world’s best striker in Erling Haaland in a bid to secure a third successive PL crown.

Guardiola’s side will be under no illusions that pressure will be on them to replicate last season’s success again. That pressure showed in City’s matchday one defeat at Tottenham last season, ensuring the reigning PL champion has lost their opening match in three of the last

six seasons (W3), but given City are unbeaten in their last 18 PL games away from home (W14, D4), they will hope to avoid adding another loss to that record.

Players to watch: It took Scamacca eight games to get off the mark in SA, but when he did, his first four goals all came in the first half. Picking up where his father Alf Inge Haaland left off in the PL, with a game against West Ham, Haaland would become the seventh Norwegian to score on his PL debut should he find the net.

Hot stat: West Ham are winless in their last nine PL games against reigning champions (D2 L7).