Let’s keep this machine motoring on!

After a crackin’ performance and win (0-5) in our last league outing as well as another good’n in the League Cup in midweek, I’m very hopeful for momentum to continue at home tomorrow afternoon; our first home game in 3 matches.

v Brighton & Hove Albion.

Etihad Stadium

Once again, with time pressing before this clash I’ll ‘crack on’ with a pre-match blog-posting…

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from starting line-up in the last game: 9/11

Fluid 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

____________________Aguero____________________

Sane___________________________________Sterling

___________D. Silva___________B. Silva___________

__________________Fernandinho__________________

Delph____________________________________Walker

_____________Laporte________Otamendi___________

____________________Ederson___________________

Subs: Muric, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Foden, Mahrez, Jesus.

Ederson back ‘between the sticks’.

A strong & dependable back-4 of Fabian, Aymeric, Nicholas & Kyle.

After a full week’s rest, Fernandinho to play in front of those and a frightening (for the oppo) 4 ahead of the Brazilian of Leroy, David, Bernardo & Raheem.

Sergio to come back to head-up all of those, I would think.

Aro back on the side after a quite Tuesday night (but good experience for him I’m sure); Danilo & John make up the defensive replacement options with Ilkay, Phil, Riyad & Gabriel the more creative / attacking choices from the bench.

Notable absences:

-       Claudio Bravo – Injured, long-term and possibly the rest of the season.

-       Benjamin Mendy – Back in light training / recovery (and in a bit hot water after getting ‘back to camp’ late following a night out…but nothing that is apparently being treated as TOO serious by his manager / the club).

-       Vincent Kompany – Not selected.

-       Oleksandr Zinchenko: Not selected, despite a fine performance in midweek.

-       Kevin De Bruyne: About to start light training next week by all accounts (yaaay!) and could be back within 3 weeks’ish.

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

Oh yes.

Result? Our visitors could have summer signing Florin Andone fit following a lengthy injury and the apparently-hard-working striker could either, therefore for me, be a little rusty or want to ‘burst onto the scene’ and impress. Could cause us some issues if it’s the latter. Otherwise, I can only see one outcome for this fixture; a win for City and possibly by a good margin too if we don’t take ‘em for granted and work hard ourselves.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result…

Prediction: Win

Result:Win

Expected weather conditions during the game: Beautiful day for footy – perhaps slightly chilly in the shade but dry with plenty of sunshine; with a high of 14C.