LONDON, Oct 16: Manchester City maintained their flying start to the Premier League season with an effervescent 2-1 home win over West Ham United on Sunday.

Andy Cole got both goals the day after his 34th birthday as City moved to fourth in the standings on 17 points behind Manchester United on goal difference.

Champions Chelsea lead the way on 27, ahead of Tottenham Hotspur with 18.

City have played some entertaining football this season under coach Stuart Pearce and it is paying off.

Promoted West Ham arrived in Manchester having lost only once this season but were second-best against a home side who created a host of chances.

Cole opened the scoring after 18 minutes with an expertly-taken goal as he curled the ball around keeper Roy Carroll with his right foot from wide on the left of the area.

City had two other efforts cleared off the line in the first period as they attacked at every opportunity.

Both teams had chances early in the second half with West Ham’s Matthew Etherington missing the best of them when he shot straight at goalkeeper David James after breaking clear.

City got their deserved second in the 56th minute after a Kiki Musampa shot was parried by Carroll but only into the path of Cole who drove it into an empty net.

Substitute striker Bobby Zamora pulled one back for West Ham in the last minute but it came too late to spoil City’s day.

Earlier on Sunday Aston Villa beat Birmingham 1-0 away, their first victory against their neighbours since City’s return to the top flight in 2002.

Striker Kevin Phillips got the goal after 19 minutes to take Villa to nine points and leave Birmingham on six.—Reuters