Slaven Bilic looked drained and exhausted as he stood in one of the Etihad Stadium’s corridors. He looked, frankly, like a man who had been badly beaten. He had, in fact, led West Ham United to one of the wins of the season, a fabulous, gutsy, backs-against-the-wall 2-1 victory against a team that even at this stage seem likely to end up as champions.

For most of a second half, played almost entirely in shooting distance of West Ham’s goal, he had crouched and pointed, dashed down the touchline and bellowed any instructions he could think of to keep a relentless Manchester City tide at bay.

Bilic had already seen West Ham beat Arsenal and Liverpool away, but at the Emirates and Anfield his side had glided relatively securely towards three improbable points. This was different.

“If you are playing a team like Manchester City it is different, with the greatest of respect, to Arsenal and Liverpool. City don’t miss a ball. Their passes are not square passes, they go here and there,” the West Ham manager said, gesturing frantically behind and to the side of him. “They have that quality.”

Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Joe Hart, Man City Could do little about the goals but as West Ham’s game became more focused on counter attacks his speed off his line helped foil two chances that could have ended the tie. 7 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Bacary Sagna, Man City Motored up and down the right like a man much younger than his 32 years. But West Ham were happy to leave the ball with him, confident that his looping crosses played into their plan. 6 Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Eliaquim Mangala, Man City Another City defender to fall to injury, but it was a good 45 minutes from the young Frenchman. One diving tackle on Sakho in particular helped keep City from a fatal 3-0 deficit. 7 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Nicolas Otamendi, Man City The supremely coiffed centre-back brought style on the pitch, tackling well and dominating in the air. At times struggled to keep up with Sakho’s pacey running but showed plenty to encourage City fans on his debut. 6 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Aleksander Kolarov, Man City It is no exaggeration to say he was mostly responsible for both of West Ham’s early goals, giving Moses too much space before conceding an unnecessary corner. After such a bright start to the season it was bizarre to see how swiftly he became a defensive liability. 3 Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Fernandinho, Man City Too often found himself bypassed on the counter as the direct running of Lanzini, Noble and Payet took them beyond City’s anchorman. Passed the ball neatly as City dominated the second period but offered little to nothing going forward. 5 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Yaya Toure, Man City Drove forward with abandon as City chased a comeback, and West Ham often struggled with his late runs and presence outside the area. At his best he would surely have found the net with at least one of his many opportunities. 6 Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Jesus Navas, Man City Full of direct running, his battle with Cresswell was one of the stand-out aspects of the game. Unfortunately for David Silva’s replacement he could never quite bring the killer pass his compatriot guarantees. 7 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Kevin De Bruyne, Man City A very bright start for City’s record signing, he displayed an excellent passing range and his penchant for a gorgeous cross. Looked the most likely to make something for the hosts, which he proved with a well-taken first goal. 8 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Raheem Sterling, Man City A lack of end-product hindered the winger, who was kept under the cosh by a quite excellent display from Jenkinson. Never stopped running and probing, but there was a reason he was the first attacker to make way. 5 Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Sergio Agureo, Man City 100 per cent fit? Doubtful. The Argentine striker looked off the pace in the opening period, spurning several chances a fully-motoring Aguero would have tucked away with ease. 4 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Adrian, West Ham When called upon he showed himself to be more than up to the task of keeping City’s superstars at bay. Made two vital blocks low at the near post from Aguero before a remarkable save from an Otamendi header. 8 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Carl Jenkinson, West Ham Several rollicking runs down the right gave West Ham plenty of purpose out wide, but what made the Arsenal loanee’s performance all the more impressive was the way he came back to deal with Sterling. 8 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Winston Reid, West Ham A truly excellent display in defence, almost every cross City fired in seemed to be powered to safety by the strong and sturdy Reid. 8 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings James Tomkins, West Ham Where his colleague was rock-solid when City came forward Tomkins was equally reliable whilst showing an ability to start counters of his own. 7 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Aaron Cresswell, West Ham There was a period in the second half where Navas seemed to ease past the full-back whenever he had the ball and Cresswell struggled with the direct running of City’s wideman. 6 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Pedro Obiang, West Ham The rock on which Bilic built his victory. Won the ball back with more than one excellent tackle, and added to the display with an admittedly bumbling assist for West Ham’s second. 7 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Mark Noble, West Ham A captain’s display from the newly-armbanded midfielder. He was crucial in getting his side’s counters going, showing an almost telepathic link with Sakho that helped him find the forward just when he peeled into space. 7 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Manuel Lanzini, West Ham An able supporting partner in West Ham’s sallies forward, running back and forward as and when required. Rarely had opportunities to make telling contributions to the game, but never let Bilic down. 6 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Dimitri Payet, West Ham On countless occasions he was in position to claim the defence’s clearances, from where he would run with menace or move the ball further forward with accuracy. Exactly what West Ham needed with their backs to the walls. 7 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Diafra Sakho, West Ham His poacher’s goal was just rewards for a performance in which he consistently dragged all three central defenders City used out of position. 7 Getty Images Manchester City 1 West Ham United 2 player ratings Victor Moses, West Ham All his West Ham debut had lacked was a goal. He got that within 10 minutes to kick start an excellent display on the right. He already showed good understanding with Jenkinson, cutting in to give his colleague room to operate. 8 Getty Images

The way City tore at West Ham after falling two goals behind in a manner that said little for a £70m defensive partnership of Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi, resembled Manchester United in their pomp.

When, in September 2012, Tottenham Hotspur snatched their first victory at Old Trafford since Terry Venables was in charge along the Seven Sisters Road, they went three goals up and almost found it was not enough. There was something of that here.

West Ham’s triumphs on the road are the most glaring examples of what is becoming one of the themes of the season – the success of away teams. Some argue that the prevalence of the 4-2-3-1 formation makes counter-attack easier; Bilic claimed it is the increased pressure on the home team.

“When you play away from home and it’s 15 minutes gone, you get a throw-in and it’s easy,” he said. “But when you’re at home and it’s 0-0 you are running to the ball because, in your mind, you are thinking, ‘We have to score, we have to score’. And from the patience you have as an away team something may open up because you are not rushing things.

“It’s why there were so many away wins in the first three rounds of games in the Premier League. From 30 games there were only six home wins.

“It isn’t going to stay like that – it’s impossible – but, especially in the beginning, when you are desperate for a home win, that pressure, that rushing is sometimes your biggest enemy.”

Bilic pointed out that for clubs like West Ham a target for the season is a nebulous concept. For Manchester City a season is measured in silverware, for Watford by remaining in the league. For West Ham’s board the absolute priority is not to face the embarrassment of entering the Olympic Stadium as a relegated team and by September this is a scenario that can already be discounted.

Bilic said that under Sam Allardyce West Ham were fourth at Christmas and he would gladly take a repeat.

“I don’t know how long this is going to last,” he said. “The one advantage we have is that we have flair players who fight for the team. Players like [Dimitri] Payet and [Manuel] Lanzini are running for the team right at the end and it’s not common for these types of players to do that. They tend to be more flashy.