MAN CITY v Fulham – The PREVIEW: City’s Probable Team
21 Mar
Tuesday’s encounter with Manchester United will surely influence selection for Saturday. Fulham are the visitors to the Etihad Stadium and although players and staff will no doubt proffer sentiments in public about this game being the priority, Manuel Pellegrini will surely have more than half an eye on his team for the derby. To that extent, Micah Richards could step in for Pablo Zabaleta on the right of defence and one of Yaya Touré and Fernandinho could be awarded a rest.
With Vincent Kompany suspended, the likelihood is that Joleon Lescott will partner Martin Demichelis at the back, although Javi Garcia performed admirably as a stand-in during the hard-fought victory over Hull and may be handed another opportunity. At home to a side bottom of the table, Pellegrini will be tempted to play two strikers, but with Sergio Aguero still absent, he may be best served operating with just one up front and keep the other fresh to lead the line at Old Trafford.
Here is the side Pellegrini could select:
Referee: Jon Moss.
Prediction: MAN CITY 2 – 0 Fulham – The pulsating triumph against Hull should give the players a confidence boost ahead of the title run-in, but with the derby looming, closely followed by a trip to Arsenal, minds may well be elsewhere on Satruday. Still, we should have enough quality in forward areas to acquire the three points. Goals to be scored by Edin Dzeko and Samir Nasri.
Don’t think CITY can rest anybody now we must go all out in every game. Lets all hope Aguero will be fit to play at Arsenal and the rest of the season.
HART-ZABALETA-DEMICHELIS-CLICHY
YAYA-DINHO
SILVA-NASRI
DZEKO-NEGREDO
CITY 4 FULHAM 0 (DZEKO 2 NEGREDO 2)
Hmmmm Timothy
BOLD team selection only selecting 10 players for Saturday. Weren`t you saying we shouldn’t rest anybody.
Sorry guys maybe one too many at lunch !!!!
I agree. We have struggled at times when we “rested” players, only to have to bring them on in last 15 min to rescue games. It’s the final furlong of the title race and every game is as important as the next. The Utd game has zero more importance then this one, win this, points in the bag, then worry about Utd. Play best 11 until game is wrapped up then give some key players a rest.
Hopefully we’ll start with 11 player’s
They’ve had a full week off VfaB, why risk another cockup. I’d go for my best side and hope to be far enough ahead by half time to be able to make 2 subs. I’d start Milner, he needs the hard yards, and I’d look to bring on Navas and Garcia for Silva and Yaya (or Fernie) maybe Lopes for Negredo with 15 mins to go.
In the absence of Aguero I’d continue with Dzeko as a lone Striker and at this stage in the season try and keep playing a settled side. Only change for me the forced Lescott for Kompany.
I think the idea that you try be clever by picking this or that team/player in anticipation of another so called bigger game is just clown talk, no messing about it sends out strange signals to the players & opposition, let’s not have another Wigan please, they badly need something- not to be taken lightly, glad jovetic is back’ I’m hoping he’s our ace in the pack, not sure about Sergio I’m getting very odd vibes there, I hope not but…….. Come on city- same as last week please.
If MP rests players and we drop points, then he hasn’t learnt anything from his first year in English football