MAN CITY v Liverpool – The PREVIEW: City’s Probable Team
25 Dec
Pablo Zabaleta trained with the squad on Christmas Eve and could be a surprise inclusion in the side if Manuel Pellegrini feels the Argentine’s hamstring strain has recovered in time. If not, then Gael Clichy is likely to continue on the right of defence despite his struggles against Fulham. A personal preference would be to see Dedryck Boyaya start at right-back. Matija Nastasic is another to have returned to training but this game could come just a touch too soon for him.
Further forward, Edin Dzeko’s place is the only one likely to change, with both Jesus Navas and James Milner competing for a starting opportunity. The manager has shown a penchant for two strikers, but Dzeko contributes very little and against a team who have been playing as well as Liverpool have been recently, it would be wiser to include an extra body in the middle.
Here is the side Pellegrini could select:
Referee: Lee Mason.
Prediction: MAN CITY 2 – 2 Liverpool - It has been a while since I’ve not predicted a Blues’ home victory, but Liverpool are in great form and have been the better side in recent meetings. I’m expecting it to be an open affair full of chances and pulsating football, with goals to be scored by Alvaro Negredo, Samir Nasri and a brace from Luis Suarez.
Much like Saints, Liverpool tends to play a physical high pressing game. The combination of Navas-Silva-Nasri though technically strong but it does not have the physical balance against Liverpool. Knowing Yaya’s slack tracking, I would prefer to pair Rodwell with Fernandinho and push Yaya forward at the expense of Navas in this game to win the midfield battle. Navas and Milner can come quite handy during later stages of game when legs are a bit tired.
As a Liverpool supporter I’m surprised not to see a home win here, especially with your home form against the big sides. I can assure you that if we can get anything from the game our fans would be delighted with that.
Hopefully a pulsating game as you say.
I think we give respect where it is due usually here.
‘Pool are a good side, well balanced with a fine team ethic and a top, top striker. They are in a fine run of form so all we are doing is redgnising that fact.
City are missing the talisman striker Aguero and yet again will have a makeshift back four. These are not excuses, we have the deepest squad in the league for quality and should and will win games without the likes of Silva, Aguero, Yaya or Kompo, but this is an edgy game against currently the best of the rest and it could go either way.
I think that City will have to score twice and probably 3 times to win this game and may just do that, but I won’t be betting on it!
Hopefully City score first and early and don’t sit back and admire the scenery!
Alph
There are reasons to believe this cold be very tight and strangely its the city fans who seem most apprehensive, while pundits and even many Liverpool fans think we will win and some believe easily so.
I feel like my heart is saying we could win by 2 or 3 but my head is saying this is going to be a nail biter, I find my head is usually the most accurate of the two.
I have whined a lot about YaYa and his lack of defensive duties. I also think this will be our toughest league game yet. The author is spot on about Liverpool providing our toughest games recently – plus they are a better side now and bang in form (as are we at home).
Back to YaYa, I think he is key; if he is up for it (irritates me as why wouldn’t/shouldn’t he be?!?!) and plays well then I think we’ll win. If not then we could well be overrun in midfield and I think we’ll lose.
If we lose I doubt it will be Yaya’s fault Crispy. Even when he is at he least energetic in tracking back he still a master of control and jis passing game classy. It’s not about pass percentages, Garcia has a better pass percentage, it’s about the technical difficulty of the pass and the ability of the pass to spring defence into attack quickly.
The problem we could have in midfield is that, playing the preferred Pellegrini way with a 442, the midfield is always likely to be outnumbered. If City can counter that potential problem we have the ammunition elsewhere to make it count. After all, against the Arse our 2 in the middle of the park outnumbered their 3
Milner needs to start for city in this game, and not exactly for attacking purposes, but I remember when we played everton and milner was on the pitch keeping baines quiet and restricting him from creating the chances Baines creates,
Not that i dont rate Navas highly, but i think navas could be used as a game changer.
This game is all about Fernandinho. Suarez keeps dropping deep to get the ball to attack defenders. If fernandinho can hold him up and HE WILL it will be an easy win. 3-1 the score today. Scorers: 1-0 Negredo, 2-0 Demichelis, 2-1 Henderson, 3-1 Navas(after 80th min)
I think City will win.
I think there will be plenty of goals, 3-2 or 4-2
That said, I wouldn’t be too disappointed with a 3-3 draw and a damn good game. Especially given that we don’t have an amazing track record against ‘Pool, they always seem to be a stumbling block. Both teams would still be up there and handily placed.
I can’t see either Arsenal or Chelsea making a break again. United are nowhere near and, furthermore, not good enough.
There are noises that Zabs has recovered and I hope he plays.
I think Yaya, Fernie, Merlin will be too good for Liverpool’s midfield – each has an important part to play, not only in the first two stopping Suarez but in the three of them creating real opportunities. I don’t think goal will come out of nowhere this afternoon.