And it was another boy from Brazil, free transfer Geovanni, who wrapped up the points three minutes from time, cracking home a cross from fellow substitute Nedum Onuoha. Off-key West Ham might have taken a point if substitute Dean Ashton buried a Matthew Etherington cross in the 79th minute but he shot over the bar and Hammers fans greeted the final whistle with a chorus of boos.

It was no surprise when City took a deserved 18th minute lead. Luis Boa Morte lost possession near the halfway line and Elano, the Brazilian signing from Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk jumped on the opportunity and made a bold run in behind West Ham's defence on the right. His low cross was perfectly weighted across goal for Bianchi to come sliding in at the far post and stab the ball past a helpless Green.

West Ham had the ball in the net, though, after Javier Garrido was booked for a foul on Freddie Ljungberg, but the referee had already spotted a foul by Bobby Zamora from the free-kick.

Unsurprisingly, West Ham manager Alan Curbishley rang the changes for the second half, bringing on Hayden Mullins and winger Matthew Etherington for Lee Bowyer and Luis Boa Morte.

Matthew Upson rose to meet Freddie Ljungberg's 48th minute corner but his header spiralled over the crossbar as Micah Richards challenged.

But in a lightning break, led by Michael Johnson, City could have had a second goal by Bianchi had the big Italian been more alert. He was unmarked when the final ball came across the edge of the penalty area but was too late starting his run and George McCartney was grateful to tidy up.

Eriksson knew he needed to freshen up his City side and did so with a double substitution on 61 minutes when Nedum Onuoha and another newcomer, Valeri Bojinov, replaced Vedran Corluka and the tiring Bianchi.

The biggest cheer, though, came two minutes later when Ashton went on for McCartney in a West Ham reshuffle. Ashton, unmarked, was screaming for a pass when Bobby Zamora out on the left took too heavy a touch. Then the substitute striker got free again at the far post for Etherington's cross but blazed a volley over the bar with 11 minutes to go. However, City wrapped it up with a second goal on 87 minutes from substitute Geovanni.