View From A Blue

Manuel Pellegrini has hinted that he will make a number of changes to the side that will line up in the final Champions League group game on Tuesday and with good reason, too. City are already qualified for the next stage, are hugely unlikely to top the group and have a far more important fixture [...]

Matija Nastasic is still sidelined, so Joleon Lescott is competing with Martin Demichelis to partner Vincent Kompany at the back. Gael Clichy is expected to return in place of Aleks Kolarov while Micah Richards will hope to be handed an opportunity on the right. I’d expect James Milner to step in for Jesus Navas and for [...]

After another convincing home victory, this time against Swansea, the challenge for Manuel Pellegrini and the players is to replicate the same desire and intensity on the road as City have recently displayed at the Etihad Stadium. Micah Richards and Aleks Kolarov will hope to feature in the fullback positions, while Vincent Kompany, after a lengthy [...]

The biggest selection dilemma for this fixture is in goal, where Manuel Pellegrini has to decide between Costel Pantilimon, who has done nothing wrong since his introduction into the side, and Joe Hart, who was impressive against Viktoria Plzen in midweek. Vincent Kompany is back in training but this match has come just too soon [...]

A game in the Champions League that doesn’t matter. And, as a complete turnaround from the past couple of years, it’s because we’ve already qualified! With only a very slim chance of topping the group and with such a demanding fixture list ahead, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Manuel Pellegrini use this encounter as [...]