Manchester City 3
West Ham 0
(Premier League)

TEN MAN West Ham slumped to a sorry defeat in a day to forget at the City of Manchester Stadium.

The Hammers were always up against it following the first half sending off of Mark Noble, while an injury to striker Cartlon Cole on the half-hour mark also did not help.

But, in truth, City were well worthy winners, with a first home goal for Daniel Sturridge and an Elano double more than enough to secure the three points.

The east Londoners had started the game brighter but had Calum Davenport to thank for keeping them in the game on 13 minutes.

The defender initially cleared Stephen Ireland's shot off the goalline and then deflected Tal Ben-Haim's follow-up onto the crossbar.

City hit the woodwork for a second time on 22 minutes when Martin Petrov's curling free kick crashed off a post with Robert Green beaten.

The game well and truly swung in City's favour on 38 minutes when Noble was given his marching minutes for a lunge on Michael Johnson.

It was the 20-year-old's second booking of the game after an earlier deliberate handball - it was the first red card of the 2008-9 Premier League season.

Green then had to be at his best on the stroke of half time, scampering across his goal to turn away Johnson's 25-yard top corner drive.

The second half is where the one-man disadvantage proved to be too much the Hammers as City overwhelmed Alan Curbishley's men.

Sturridge opened the scoring on 64 minutes, smashing home into the roof of the net after Matthew Upson failed to clear Petrov's cross from the left hand side.

Brazilian playmaker Elano doubled the lead five minutes later, rounding off an excellent City move involving Vedran Corluka and Ireland.

And it was the same combination that provided the third goal on 75 minutes - Corluka passing out to Ireland and the young midfielder squaring for Elano to steer his effort into the corner from six yards out.

West Ham will be looking for a markedly improved performance at home to Macclesfield in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.

West Ham: Green, Behrami, Upson, Davenport, Neill, Faubert, Parker, Noble, Etherington (Boa Morte 72), Ashton, Cole (Sears 30, Mullins 45). Subs not used: Lastuvka, Reid, Bowyer, Spence.