Manchester City v Wigan Athletic – English Premier League: Match Preview
As Wigan Athletic prepare to fight it out on their travels against Manchester City, Roberto Mancini’s team will go all out for a win against the Latics.
It is destined to be a crucial Premier League encounter for both the sides at the Eastlands Stadium on 5th of March, 2010. Let’s take a look at how both the sides will line up against each other.
Manchester City
City have a big chance to close the gap at the top of the Premier League table with a win against Wigan Athletic.
Manchester United lost to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 in mid-week so Manchester City will look to gain all three points at their home turf on Saturday evening and thus cut down the Red Devils’ lead down to just seven points.
After winning their latest competitive fixture by three goals to nil against Aston Villa in the F.A Cup in mid-week, Roberto Mancini’s men are high in morale.
But the latest news that Kolo Toure has been banned from all football action due to the fact that he tested positive for a banned substance in his latest drug test has left the blue half of Manchester in shock.
Nonetheless, with three wins and two draws out of their last five competitive fixtures, Manchester City are in a high run of form, which will most likely continue against Wigan Athletic.
Wigan Athletic
Roberto http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Martinez-c24468’s team are involved heavily in a relegation dog fight thus they need every point they can obtain from their remaining Premier league fixtures.
Currently, at the bottom of the English league table at the 20th place spot, Wigan have only amassed a total of 27 points from 28 matches.
The Latics lost their latest Premier League encounter against Manchester United by four goals to nil and out of their last five fixtures, Wigan have won one, drawn two and lost two.
Earlier on in the season, Wigan’s corresponding home fixture against Manchester City ended in a win for Roberto Mancini’s men but this time around the Latics will be working hard to make it tougher for the home side.
Team news
Kolo Toure is out of action for Manchester City for an indefinite period of time until his drug test issue is resolved by the F.A. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vincent-Kompany-c36184 is also fit for the tie against Wigan Athletic after missing City’s win over Aston Villa with a hip injury.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Nigel-de-Jong-c27882 is also back from his ankle injury and is expected to feature for the Blues.
Expected Manchester City line-up: Hart, Kompany, Lescott, Boateng, Kolarov, De Jong Y Toure, Silva, Dzeko, Tevez, Balotelli
Wigan’s manager Roberto Martinez is free to choose from his fully fit squad with the exception of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Emmerson-Boyce-c12578 who is still out with a hamstring injury.
Expected Wigan Athletic line-up: Al Habsi, G Caldwell, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Figueroa-c13730, Alcaraz, N'Zogbia, Diame, McCarthy, Rodallega, Stam, Thomas Cleverley
Key Players
Manchester City will once again depend on their captain and star striker, Carlos Tevez, to fire them to a win against the relegation threatened Wigan Athletic. The Argentinean striker has already netted 18 goals for City in the 2010-2011 Premier League season.
On the other hand, Wigan’s minor hope of a win in this matchup is no other than http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Kolo-c21278 Toure in the center of City’s defence. The French midfielder has already contributed with four goals and five
assists in the 2010-2011 Premier league season for Wigan Athletic.
Prediction
Manchester City are outright favourites to win this encounter. Wigan may have a lot of fight in them but they lack quality, which City have an abundance. Prediction: 3-0 to Manchester City
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