Manchester City vs. Sunderland
At White Hart Lane on Wednesday evening, not only an unbeaten record was lost by Manchester City- a horrible glimpse of many fans’ fears also became apparent. For all the boundless optimism among supporters and the heartfelt belief that glory was finally on the horizon, an incredibly lacklustre effort from Mark Hughes’ superstars will have left even the most positive of onlookers with a bad aftertaste. During this aforementioned run of 10 games without defeat, many remarked that never before had a City side showed such resilience and strength of character-but in fact the ‘bouncebackability’ witnessed against Burnley, Bolton and Liverpool disguised excellently the reality that a lack of concentration and defensive organisation was leading to dropped points on a near-weekly basis. 10 games without defeat or 16 points dropped? Facts are easily manipulated.
What’s more difficult to determine is just what direction this club is heading in. Given time, will the players and management improve and lead the club to eventual glory, or is this frankly unacceptable sequence of results a sign of things to come? We may well have a clearer picture on New Years’ Day, when City will have completed a quick fire trio of games- beginning with Sunderland’s visit to Eastlands on Saturday.
With four points from their last six games, including four consecutive away defeats, a game against the Mackems is the perfect opportunity for City to at least temporarily silence the growing number of critics. Furthermore, the Blues’ recent record against Sunderland is exceptional with eight consecutive victories and only three defeats in 25 years.
Last season, City kick-started their season with 3-0 victory at the Stadium of Light, only weeks before Sheikh Mansour’s takeover and the subsequent weight of expectation brought about by it. In the return fixture at Eastlands in March, Micah Richards secured the three points for the home side with a powerful header. Both clubs have strengthened at a significant cost since then, and Steve Bruce’s arrival on Wearside has seen expectations soar for Sunderland. After many years of unpredictability and instability, the hope is that a level of consistency- starting with a top ten finish this season- can finally be achieved.
With Craig Bellamy returning after an enforced rest in midweek, the Welshman will hope to continue with his scintillating form. He will likely face Phil Bardsley in the right back slot at Sunderland, who despite a rich vein of form is certainly susceptible to being exploited by pace. In midfield, Andy Reid, Steed Malbranque and Kieran Richardson will pose a significant threat while Captain Lorik Cana will offer protection and steel. With City suffering an injury crisis that sees Joleon Lescott and Wayne Bridge ruled out for a number of weeks, front men Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent will hope to exploit the most glaring weakness in the side. Kolo Touré, Nedum Onuoha and Vincent Kompany haven’t filled fans with confident in recent displays and a combination of Jones’ physical prowess and Bent’s pace and finishing ability may be a problem.
So, the record books suggest that a home win is the safe bet, but in this incredibly unpredictable season, nothing should be ruled out. It’s hard to envisage this team keeping a clean sheet such is their defensive vulnerability- however, if City’s players decide to compensate for Wednesday’s shortcomings and they’re fully motivated for the tie, I can’t look beyond a home win.
PREDICTION: City 3-1 Sunderland
A massive thanks to Colin the King from www.mancityfans.net for this excellent match preview.