Barclays Premier League preview: Sunderland vs Manchester City
In what will be their third match in six days, Manchester City travel to the Stadium of Light to face Steve Bruce’s Sunderland. Sunderland have gathered only one point from their two Premier League matches and will be looking to take the home advantage and secure all three points,
However, Manchester City would have other plans for Black Cats as the team is currently unstoppable. City recentlly defeated Liverpool 3-0 at home, while paving their way into the group stages of the Europa league by defeating FC Timosoara 2-0. After spending 160 million pounds this summer, it is now time to deliver results. Mancini will be looking to be in the title race from the start, as a win will grant them 4th spot, right behind rivals Manchester United. All the superstars in the City outfit look to be grooming well together and the team has considerably improved following the arrival of English star James Milner. The player is likely to feature in the match, following his omission from the squad from the Europa league game. Milner had to sit out of the clash as he was not registered in time with UEFA.
Team News for Sunderland:
Steve Bruce would be without loan defender Nedum Onuoha. The player is loan signing from Manchester City and is thus ineligible to play against the club owing to his terms of contract. His omission would pave way for the likes of Anton Ferdinand and Phil Bardsley, who are yet to cement their place in the starting XI. There are no more fresh issue for the manager. John Mensah (hamstring), Craig Gordon(arm), George McCartney(ankle) and David Meyler(knee) are still unavailable for selection owing to their injuries. The team would be looking to bounce back from their 1-0 loss away to West Bromwich and utilize the energy of the 12th man to good use.
Squad for Sunderland: Mignolet, Carson, Bardsley, Richardson, Bramble, Turner, Da Silva, Ferdinand, Cattermole, Elmohamady, Henderson, Malbranque, Riveros, Zenden, Reid, Colback, Angeleri, Bent, Campbell, Welbeck, Waghorn.
Team news for Manchester City
Star midfielder James Milner will be available for selection in this Premier league clash, following his omission from the Europa league triumph over Timosoara. The team may well play Mario Balotelli for some point in the match following his recovery from knee problem, but City would be without defenders Aleksander Kolarov, Jerome Boateng and Wayne Bridge. All these players are sidelined owing to persistent injuries.
Squad for Manchester City: Hart, Given, Richards, Zabaleta, Lescott, K Toure, Kompany, Milner, Wright-Phillips, Johnson, Barry, Silva, Vieira, De Jong, Y Toure, Tevez, Balotelli, Adebayor, Jo, Logan, Boyata.
Prediction:
Manchester City would be looking to dominate this fixture owing to their sheer star power in the team. It would take till the half hour mark for Mancini’s men to make their ground at the Stadium of light and would be defending rather than attacking. After that, the team is expected to at the Sunderland defence with full guns blazing. Carlos Tevez, James Milner and Adam Johnson combine well together and torment the defence at will. Nothing less than a win would be the aim for the manager, who would be looking to win three fixtures in a row.
Sunderland would be looking to take the early advantage and feed from the energy of the home crowd. The team cannot compete with the sheer attacking force of City and would want to take the advantage while the team is settling in at the stadium. Failure to do so would mean yet another disappointment for Steve Bruce and would be sitting with just one point in three matches.
A 2-1 victory in the favour of Manchester City can be predicted. City would prove too strong for the Black Cats and secure all three points at the Stadium of Light.
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