…same 3-points-outcome as last Saturday would be just grand, thank you very much!
(Blog published in advance of our manager's pre-match press conference).
Great weekend!
What a fabulous performance it was from
City last Saturday over a Crystal Palace side
that was run ragged for 90+ minutes! In a strange way, though, it took a good
save from Willy Caballero and from a fairly low-powered
Christian Benteke header when the score was
1-0 to help us on our way. But apart from that? We were awesome!
Best performance of the season? I’m not
sure; the 2nd half against Barca
springs to mind straight away. But it was certainly ONE of the best this season
– the pace of the attack and sheer effort / closing-down was both breath taking
and excellent. Liverpool drawing and Manyoo losing capped all that off nicely!
More
of that please…
v Leicester City
 |
| Etihad Stadium |
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome.
Fluid 4-5-1:
___________________Cabellero__________________
Unless Pep has seen something in training in
midweek, I can’t honestly see him changing a team that did so very well last
Saturday followed by a week off to rest and ‘go again’. I know he has a strong
tendency to ‘tinker’…but I’m going for no changes in ‘the 11’.
Little
change on the bench from last Saturday too; John & Sergio the only possible
alterations to the 7 on the side that provided back-up against Palace.
Notable absences: Outfield player with gloves on (injured for the rest of the season), Pablo Zabaleta (not
selected / being saved for a farewell bow on Tuesday night?), Fabian Delph (not selected), Ilkay Gundogan (injured for the rest of the
season), Nolito (not selected) & Kelechi Iheanacho (not selected).
Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?
No probs with that at all!
Result?
This is
what I had been thinking all week and wrote in advance on Wednesday…
With vital points still required to secure 3rd
or 4th at the VERY least; I say with some regret – fairly
confident otherwise that we’ll beat a sometimes-stubborn WBA on Tuesday night and then-also a floundering Watford the following Sunday - that I’m
not expecting us to grab ‘all 3’ in the early KO this Saturday.
1. Apart
from a little wobble of 2 defeats and a draw;
The Foxes have won 7 from at least the last 10 league games under their new, Caretaker Manager…and key, attacking players have finally got last
season’s ‘mojo’ back. The Midlands outfit
will be a real threat to our defence.
2. It
just wouldn’t be City to do things the easy way and allow its fans to enjoy &
relax a little now, would it?
I’d love to be able to say that
this’ll be a home win and, therefore, we’d take a large leap towards Champions League security
for next season but, instead, I just have to go with my current instincts and
agree with my mini prediction piece from a few
weeks back; nailing my colours to this one as-being a draw.
Sorry…I
hope, in the right way of course, that I’m wrong.
However…
…I had a change of mind and general
feeling on Thursday when I read a report that stated our opponents were facing a
'mini injury crisis' to their defence.
They'll still pose a threat to OUR defence, of
course – there’ll be goals at both ends in this one I think – but I think we’ll
score far more. I’m going for a home win and something along the lines of 4-1
or 4-2. I hope my latter ‘gut feeling’ is more accurate than my
previous one…
Expected weather conditions during
the game: After a few decent days of sunshine WITHOUT the nagging wind that seems to have plagued us for over a week now…we’re in for some rain during the match. Not exactly a heavy downpour but enough to provide a little sheen to the pitch. Dull, gloomy and a slightly chilly 12C / 13C too for watching fans. Should start to clear as the game comes to an end and so should be dry for the journey home.
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