MAN CITY v Newcastle – The PREVIEW: City’s Probable Team
20 Feb
Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna are vying for a starting position at right-back, with much depending on Manuel Pellegrini’s selection plans against Barcelona on Tuesday. Eliaquim Mangala and Aleks Kolarov are expected to get the nod for Saturday, with Martin Demichelis and Gael Clichy likely to return for the Champions League tie.
Yaya Touré is certain to play after returning from the African Cup of Nations, but James Milner is sidelined with a knee injury. With Pellegrini almost certain to opt for two strikers, it looks like a simple battle between Wilfried Bony and Edin Dzeko to partner Sergio Aguero. I’d choose the Ivorian, though would expect the manager to plump for Dzeko.
Here is the side Pellegrini could select:
Referee: Chris Foy.
Prediction: MAN CITY 3 – 1 Newcastle – After plenty of rest, City should be ready to come out firing and fighting. I’m predicting a fairly entertaining affair, with goals from Sergio Aguero, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony and Ayoze Perez.
There’s a number of the regulars under the microscope now I.e the whole team… Boney must start, I’ve no sympathy for Stefan he had his chance & is like kinky a show pony ( Thats just my view sorry) pogba is a must in the summer, a fabulous player.. Forget Barkley’ what’s he done in the game? Has he had a good season yet?? A selfish player with no brain, come on city run riot. As for barca can we keep 11 men on the pitch for the tie?? Zaba needs to up his game & start playing cool again, sagna discipline is very good.
Kolarov and Sagna today, Clichy and Zaba Tuesday. Can’t afford to have two FB’s go walk about at the same time in either game.
442 makes sense for today with Milner injured and Fernie Regis not yet up to scratch. Fernandinho will need to be disciplined and sweep up infront of the CH’s, and can be subbed for FR when he’s had his customary yellow card and energy levels are dropping.
Does Pellers go with pace enough (Mangala) to cover breaks from Barca when we are holding a high line or calm, disciplined positioning (Demic) when we are backs to the wall, against Barca. If the latter Demic plays and Mangler plays today otherwise vice versa.
Up front the question is whether or not the management consider that Edin has a future. If not then let him sulk on the sidelines with Stevan and give the Aguero/Bony pairing a chance.
We must win today and let Tuesday take care of itself, but 442 makes no sense against Barca, there’s little point being a man short in midfield and two players in advanced positions not touching the ball. Either start Navas instead of Bony, he works the length of the pitch and is effective both ends with pace to cause some problems or alternatively take a more conservative stance and play 4231 with both Fernies @ DMF & Nas, Yaya and Merlin the three behind Kun upfront.
I can’t get to today’s game and can rarely get to midweek games these days, more’s the pity, it’s a 14 hour round trip from the West Highlands to the Etihad and back and there’s work to be done here that won’t wait!
Have fun if you are at the games, here’s hoping for the best
Alph