Beware the “C” word…

Of course, it’s not like Pep to allow and complacency to creep in but even he couldn’t hide his child-like, excited grin in the post-match interview on Sky Sports following our tense but well-deserved victory in Trafford last Saturday. 

 

Avoid that ‘kind of thing now’ seeping into our players’ mindset and that’ll set us in ‘good stead’ to face our Lancashire neighbours on Sunday.

v Burnley

Turf Moor

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___________

____________________Foden______________________

Zinchenko_________________________________Walker

____________Laporte___________Stones____________

____________________Ederson_____________________

Subs: Muric, Danilo, Kompany, Gundogan, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Jesus.

Ed in net.

Almost the same back-4 that triumphed in midweek – Oleksandr on the left, Kyle on the right and I would suggest that we’ll see John join Aymeric.

With doubts over the ‘usual deep-midfield suspects’, I think we’ll see ‘an across five’ of Leroy, David, Phil, Bernardo & Raheem; with Phil being the ‘deeper workhorse’ in that quintet.

Serg ahead of those.

Aro the reserve ‘stopper’; Danilo & Vinny the back-up defensive players. Although there are some doubts about both of these, I think Ilkay & Fernandinho might make ‘the 7’ with Riyad & Gabriel the more attacking options from the side.

Notable absences:

-       Claudio Bravo – Not selected.

-       Benjamin Mendy – Not selected / still might not be ‘quite right’ / still dunno.

-       Nicholas Otamendi – Not selected (might be wrong here – might be there instead of Vinny).

-       Fabian Delph – Not selected.

-       Kevin De Bruyne – Being assessed; might be closer to a return than most of us may have first feared but definitely not ready for this encounter.

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

Have no concerns there…

Result? Well, firstly, our hosts position. Are they mathematically safe? No, they’re not. However, it would take them to lose all of their remaining games and, Cardiff City at least, to not-only win all of their matches but to overturn a 17-goal difference at least in that short time. Basically…their safe for another season.

However, again, I can see the motivating, determined Sean Dyche telling his battle-hardened players something like this in their pre-match preparations:

Did you see ‘that lot’ (us of course) celebrating after their win last Wednesday as though they’ve already won the league meaning, of course, they think they’re gonna beat you this afternoon? Well…go ‘n’ show ‘em otherwise!

(Update at 5:45pm on 27.04.2019: Burnley are now offically safe).

Basically, if you’ve not already guessed what I’m alluding to, turn up with the wrong attitude in this fixture - or our next 2 games for that matter - and we will have ‘blown it’; undoing all of our hard work.

And there’s the key - hard work again is needed!

So, what do I think? I think it’ll be a tough game; perhaps a ropey start also with a scare or two but over the 90+, we’ll come out of it with a win.

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

Prediction: Win

Result: Draw (they took points off us in our last visit!)

Expected weather conditions during the game: After a somewhat stormy weekend in the North West…calm. Bit of a North Westly breeze; dry and even the sun should make an appearance as we kick off (2:05pm BST). 12C is the high.

This is all about the 3 points.

Yeah, it’s a Trafford v Manchester derby but, for us Blues, it’s a must win purely for vital points reasons.

 

Blank out all derby build-up talk, forget their erratic, mostly negative reports and results of late; heads down, ‘do our job’ as well as we know we can do and that’s exactly what we can come away with tomorrow night.

v Manyoo

Old Trafford

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from starting line-up in the last game which, for me blog-wise, was the 2^nd leg of the Champions League: 9/11).

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

___________________Aguero_____________________

Sane____________________________________Sterling

__________D. Silva_____________B. Silva___________

__________________Fernandinho__________________

Zinchenko_________________________________Walker

____________Laporte___________Stones____________

_____________________Ederson____________________

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

Ederson in goal.

‘Go again’ defence? That’s what I’m predicting with Oleksandr, Aymeric, John & Kyle.

Fernandinho ‘back in there’ ahead of those & protecting.

Ahead of the Brazilian is the attacking midfield / wing 4 of Leroy, David, Barnardo, in a more central role, and Raheem.

Sergio to be the recipient of that creative talent.

Aro the reserve keeper; Danilo & Vinny the defensive options from the side. Ilkay, Phil, Riyad & Gabriel are the more creative / attacking options from ‘the 7’.

Notable absences:

-       Claudio Bravo – Back in full training following a long injury; possible fit enough by now for the bench / selection but not selected.

-       Benjamin Mendy – Not selected / might be ‘not quite right’ / dunno.

-       Nicholas Otamendi – Not selected.

-       Fabian Delph – Not selected.

-       Kevin De Bruyne – Injured…again! Still being assessed, apparently, and might still feature in the remaining games but not this one.

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

Looks very good & strong to me.

Result? Derby games ‘are what they are’ – unpredictable at times. "They" will most-definitely be ‘up for it’ and will want to get that horrible weekend result out of their system. What better game to do that, hey?

AND, I will add, results around them over the extended went in their favour and they will feel, I’m sure, very relieved that they’ve been given another chance to push for a ‘top 4’ finish. They have some fire-power too and, ‘when they’re on it’, that can be a real threat.

But we’re in good form, I would suggest, and most certainly have ‘the bit between our teeth’. AND, I will add in our case, we have a much, much bigger target in our sights.

All things considered, this is an away, Manchester win for me.

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

Prediction: Win

Result: Win

Expected weather conditions during the game: After a terrific period of weather for Spring in the UK, the build-up to this game will have seen 5 or 6 hours of rain showers to give the pitch a little bit of a ‘zip’. By the time we come to KO, however, those showers should be dying out and fans walking home should be dry. 12 to 13C isn’t too bad of an evening temperature.

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