by AG7 » Tue Apr 01, 2014 12:25 pm
Manchester City v Southampton
Etihad Stadium, City of Manchester
Saturday 5 April 2014
Kickoff: 1245 GMT
Referee: Chris Foy
Assistants : M McDonough & M Wilkes
Fourth Official: Robert Madley
TV Coverage in UK: BT Sports 1 HD (Sky 413) and BT Sports 1 (Sky 426)
Coverage starts at 1200 GMT
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Another week long break ... good for the team ... not so good for us, who've gotten used to watching City play twice a week ... but as I said good for players, for them to rest, regroup and plan for the next game properly ... the team did look tired second half against Arsenal (but that was to be expected after the mid-week derby).
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Opposition
Saints have been pretty good lately ... well, they have been pretty good all season and we haven't done too well against them since they have come up. Last year the season opener at home was a 3-2 thriller where we had to come from behind (perhaps taking them too lightly?) ... then our trip down south was what pretty much ended our season (as far as the league was concerned).
This season again we could only draw at theirs and now this tie has come at perhaps the most crucial time for us. Games against the likes of Scum and Arsenal this past week and upcoming ones against Liverpool and Everton are big enough to get everyone geared up for them. The games against smaller/weaker teams still give you a second chance to wake up if at start the intensity is lacking ... it's this weekend's game that worries me ... not big enough a team that is a title rival but not small enough to give us a second chance should we walk in to the game half asleep ...
And finally, while they may not have anything to play for anymore ... they are safe in Premier League and won't get to European spots either ... but they have quite a few English players 'auditioning' right now for catching that plane to Brazil so expect them to be playing their hearts out ...
I have no doubt that even though some relegation threatened back-to-the-wall teams are yet to come to Etihad, but this is the toughest of our remaining home games left ... we better not be caught napping.
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Team Selection
Now that we are playing at home again ... will we see 4-4-2 back?
Aguero is still injured and at best will make the bench. I guess the best would be for him to get a little match practice and be ready for the Liverpool game. For this one, if Pellegrini must go with two up front, I would like Jovetic to start as he can drop deep as well, and perhaps Negredo to come in for Dzeko and gain some form back. Dzeko and Aguero can always come off the bench if the two new strikers don't get going ...
Rest of the positions will be filled by the usual suspects ...
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Starting XI Prediction
Hart
Zaba - Komps - Demi - Kola
Yaya - Ferdy
Nasri - Jovetic - Silva
Negredo
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Score Prediction
Manchester City 3 - 2 Southampton
This will be a lot closer than we'd like but as long as we bag all 3 points, I'd be happy with whatever the scoreline is.
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Other Games
Ours is the early game on Saturday and kick-starts the gameweek, so a win here is not only important for the three points but can also put pressure on Chelsea and Liverpool. If we drop points here, it could give a huge boost to the rivals who both have potentially tricky fixtures of their own.
Chelsea host Stoke in Saturday evening game and Liverpool are away to West Ham on Sunday evening. Both on paper should pick three points each but if put under the pressure by our win earlier, you never know what could happen as both their oppositions (Stoke and West Ham) are capable of nicking something.
Game of the weekend though is Everton hosting Arsenal in Sunday's earlier fixture. Everton are only 4 points behind Arsenal and have a game in hand. This is a six pointer for that fourth spot and Everton can even entertain ideas of a draw here to finish ahead of Arsenal on goal difference (which currently is only 1 behind Arsenal's) ...
As much as I'd like Everton to finish above Arsenal, they still need to play us and I'd rather they drop three points then ... so given that pending fixture (against us) and Arsenal's experience of finishing fourth might see them miss out in the end. But an outright win here for them would certainly make things interesting.
So here's hoping for those City, Stoke, West Ham and Everton wins this weekend ...