Aston Villa v MAN CITY: The PREVIEW – City’s Probable Team
11 Feb
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For the first time in four months, we are not sitting atop the Premier League table as we head into a potentially tricky fixture against Aston Villa. Whether that added pressure will take its toll remains to be seen, but Manchester United’s hard-fought victory over Liverpool means that we start this game one point behind them. A win is imperative at Villa Park on Sunday and we will have to prove our title credentials. It may well be tense and nervy at times, but should we display our character and undoubted quality, three points would be gladly received.
Our recent record away to Villa is about as impressive as their form at home! The Blues are without a win in our past four visits, whilst Alex McLeish’s side haven’t won at home for six games, and have picked up only two points in the process.
With regards to team selection, inspirational captain Vincent Kompany is expected to return after sitting out the routine Fulham victory through injury. Stefan Savic is likely to make way, with Aleks Kolarov and Gael Clichy competing for a place on the left of defence. Gareth Barry has been below-par in the last couple of games and has struggled against Villa since leaving them but Mancini is likely to keep faith with the midfielder, who could partner Samir Nasri in the central area.
Further forward, Mario Balotelli serves the final game of his four-match suspension, meaning that Adam Johnson could get another opportunity after impressing against Fulham. Sergio Aguero will be looking to score his first Manchester City goal outside of Manchester or London, and his movement could be key in unsettling the Villa backline.
Here is the side Mancini could select:
The Villains could feature a trio of former City players, although Stephen Ireland may well miss out after infuriating McLeish in the last game against Newcastle. In goal, Shay Given will be applauded by the travelling Blues’, as will Richard Dunne, who served City with distinction for a number of years. In attack, both Darren Bent and Robbie Keane have excellent scoring records against us and that pair will be the dangermen.
Referee: Michael Oliver – Very highly regarded and rightly so. Extremely young but commands the respect of the players for his consistently strong performances. Has only refereed one City game before in his career and that was also against Aston Villa: a match in which we ran out victors 4-0.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1 – 2 MAN CITY – Our recent record on the road is far from impressive so this could well be a tricky match, but come the final whistle, I’d expect our extra quality to have shown. Goals to be scored by Darren Bent, Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko.
mancini should put de jong insted of johndon. Hart. Richard. Kompany. Lescott. Clichy. De jong. Barry. Nasri. Silva * .Aguero & Dzeko.
score: 2-3
de jong needs to prove that he can influence the team to a high goal scoring capability the way milner or yaya does…
Don’t be surprised the ref gives a penalty to AV and sends offa MC defender.I have my doubts about these huys in black especially one bald eagle who has been appointed the ref chief.Fyi this guy gave the red faced a record number of penalties and ,imho,helped him to win titles.
As for today’s game,the ref will find ways to weaken MC by yc a defender or better still send him off.Of course that doesn’t mean the Blues must be edgy. If Mc play their normal game there is no reason why we can’t win.
The AV manager is a former redfaced protege and will undoubtedly want to please his former boss.
So get ready for robust tackles .It would be interesting to see if the ref will send off a Av defender doing a two footed lunge.
Well at least we now have a firm grasp of the obvious… Nothing insightful here, no Milner?
Hopefully MC can beat AV and go back to the top.But as Veira said the Fa may not llike MC to win the epl.So in cahoots with the refs ,they will seek to undermine City.
It’s very easy. A goal can be ruled for offside. The ref can send off a City defender for a tackle. You never know.
And so to red faced /nosed.Let me state that when he has retired I don’t think MU can win the epl year and year out.Yeah I know he will retire when he is 99 years old. The reasons are obvious.That is why I want City to win the epl. If not Spurs to win it.
Otherwise England will be like Spain where Barca and RM rule.Same with Scotland. It will become so boring.The FA don’t realise what they are doing by helping the red faced.
4-1 City my prediction …
3-0 city (from a villa fan) maybe 3-1 if villa get lucky lol