Photo: Manuel Pellegirini (AP)
Manchester City’s game against Stoke at 10 in the morning on Saturday, and Pellegrini’s Falcons will be looking to continue their imperious form in the league and bounce back from their midweek disappointments in Europe.
Photo: Manuel Pellegirini (AP)
Manchester City’s game against Stoke at 10 in the morning on Saturday, and Pellegrini’s Falcons will be looking to continue their imperious form in the league and bounce back from their midweek disappointments in Europe.
City have this season dropped points in just one game at home whilst racking up 42 goals. Mark Hugh’s Stoke side will know that they are going to face a fired up City side and will no doubt be concerned about their own terrible record of just one win away from home in the league all season.
However Hughes will certainly be hoping that the warm weather training the team had over the weekend in Dubai will have served to rejuvenate his players. “It’s a long season, and whilst we have fantastic facilities here at the training ground, I just think that sometimes a change of scenery is beneficial to everyone-especially when the weather has been as poor as it has recently” Hughes told reporters.
City will be without Vincent Kompany (hamstring), Matija Nastasic (knee) and Sergio Aguero (hamstring). Stoke will travel to City without the services of Oussama Assaidi (Knee), Mathew Etherington (Calf), Andy Wilkinson (ankle) and Robert Huth (Knee). Stoke will be hoping for a miracle but they can take heart in the fact that they held City to a goalless draw at the Britannia Stadium back in September and even managed to take more shots on target than City’s title contenders. City however, are unbeaten in their last nine against Stoke in all competitions restricting the Potters to just two goals in the last eight meetings between the two sides.
Manchester United will round out the days fixtures with a 12:30 p.m. kickoff against Crystal Palace and if Moyes’ recent habit of breaking United’s longstanding records Palace can take heart in the fact that they haven’t beaten United in the league since 1991. As such could become the latest in a string of sides to defeat United and break such a record.
Eric Cantona’s now famous kung-fu kick on a Palace supporter in 1995 is fresher in our memories than the last Crystal Palace triumph in this fixture, with United picking up a 2-0 win at Old Trafford earlier in the season. Pulis’ charges have won three of their last four games in the league and have climbed up to 15th in the table, but with just two points separating them from the relegation zone, an unexpected win would be more than welcome.
United face a Champions League clash against Olympiakos three days from Saturday and Palace may be hoping that this will affect Moyes’ selections in their game. With Rooney who has signed a new contract with United, having failed to score or assist in his last five games United will be looking for new signing Juan Mata or the likes of new teen sensation Januzaj to produce the spark needed to see off Crystal Palace. Palace could be without player Jerome Thomas (back) but will take heart as Glenn Murray could be in line for his first start since returning from injury. Marouane Fellaini could feature for United for the first time since December 4, while Johnny Evans (calf) remains doubtful.
Writer: Lynford Harris
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