…of our non-Saturday league fixtures of the season (more on that to come in my season predictions piece in September) and European games haven’t even started yet!
A little look back at our last game…
Right, Blues, I’m a little confused.
I watched the whole game and although I accept that we didn’t play brilliant, far from it…am I missing something after hearing so many commentators, pundits AND City fans who were leaving the ground and said that we didn’t play well? Did I watch a different Manchester City game in an alternate universe 👾🧑🚀🛰️🌕 to so many other people?
One City fan that I know has been going home and away for YEARS was being interviewed inside the stadium shortly after the final whistle and actually used the words, “Shocking” and “Abysmal” to describe how we played last Sunday afternoon. He added, at the end of the conversation, “I fear the worst”. Fear the worst! Is he referring to relegation?! If not, what IS ‘the worst’ then?! 😱 As I say, he’s been watching City for a long, long time and not just the last fifteen-glorious years.
Have expectations now risen SO very high amongst Manchester City fans that it’s even affected fans of a certain era? 🚀
Yes, as I’ve already mentioned, our performance wasn’t brilliant by any means but I thought it was a more-than-decent 7/10 from our lads…6.5 and no less if I was to be really harsh. I know stats alone don’t necessarily tell the whole story and, like I said, I did watch the whole game but here goes anyway:
· 66.1% possession to their 33.9% a statistic which, yeah, many would expect; especially at home and despite a change in manager. But still…
· 13 shots to their 5; 6 on target to their 4.
· 37 touches in their box to their 6 in ours.
· 8 corners to their 3 and we forced their keeper to make 4 saves to our keeper who only had to make 3.
Enzo Marresca appeared to think we played quite well when interviewed and certainly said in the post-match press conference that we deserved to win the game. Dead right. Who cares if we left it until 84th and 91st minute to take all-3 points…we deserved it over the whole 96 minutes.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I am keen to add, however, that we should have buried ‘em far earlier and if we hadn’t have scored those two late goals to take all-3 points, I certainly would have been bemoaning those two awful moments that simply required a strong head on the ball.
Marc Guehi was at fault for one of ‘em but I’ve seen Erling Haaland do that about half-a-dozen times for us now whenever the ball arrives around his midriff. He just can’t seem to make a split-second decision to stoop and use his head and, instead, he either tries to raise one of his very long legs or he just lets the ball hit his torso.
For a lethal striker, that’s a bit weird for him to do it so often.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
But in addition to all of those positive stats, we should have had a nailed on corner in the first half that didn’t even need VAR to see and I thought the shirt pull on Semenyo in their penalty area after the break needed closer attention from the officials. Instead, barely a thing was mentioned about that incident neither at the time nor since!
Again, was I watchin’ a different game?! 🤓
And as I finish my little rant, can I just remind all of those seemingly half-deflated City fans that I’ve heard, plus the negative commentators and pundits, that we’ve had the heart ripped out of our midfield since last season ended and that we were experimenting on the opening day of the season by using Marc Guehi as a midfielder; something the player had only trained to do for two days, according to his boss after the match? Result? We won and it should have been by a bigger margin in my opinion.
What did confuse and irritate me a little was that Matheus Nunes didn’t start at right-wing back and Rico Lewis did instead. Since then, I realise that he wasn’t 100% so fair enough. However, I do think it highlights, yet again, the need for an additional right-wing back better than Rico Lewis. Additionally and, once again, Nico Gonzalez didn’t get a sniff of action. What was that all about by the way [his limited action since his arrival in February 2025]? 🤨 I say “was” because it no longer matters - he’s gone [to Newcastle United] and who could blame him? Certainly not I…
 |
| Selhurst Park |
Apart from just one defensive change from my last predicted 11, I’m going to pretty much go with the same as last Sunday’s guess, as I can envisage our manager making a couple of tweaks to his actual starting team.
Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:
Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 8/11.
A fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-2-3-1 / / 4-3-3:
_____________________Haaland(C)___________________
__Semenyo_______________________________Cherki__
_________________________________Foden__________
__________O’Reilly________________________________
_____________________Anderson___________________
Gvardiol____________________________________Nunes
___________Guehi(VC)_______________Khusanov_______
____________________Donnarumma_________________
Subs: Rulli, Ait-Nouri, Lewis, Dias, Reis, Bouaddi, Kovacic, Grealish and McAidoo.
Gianluigi continues in net.
Although there was a slight doubt about Matheus Nunes, as was revealed in yesterday’s pre-match press conference and following a slight issue that saw the Portuguese international miss the Community Shield altogether and only see the last 39 minutes of action last Sunday; I’m guessing that the just turned 28-year-old will be ready to resume right-wing back duties from the start tonight. Joining him at the back I’m going for Abdukodir, Marc and Josko.
Elliot might ‘anchor’ for this one while the new lad becomes accustomed to his new surroundings; Nico and Phil just ahead of the England international.
Antoine on the left, Rayan-C- on the right and Erling up top is what I think will be in our manager’s head.
Geronimo continues as reserve keeper and we’re likely to see four defenders on the side in the shape of Rayan-A-, Rico, Ruben and Vitor. New (latest new) signing Ayyoub and Mateo make up two midfielders in ‘the 9’, while Jack and Ryan provide wide / forward options.
Notable absences:
- Marcus Bettinelli – Not selected.
- Jeremy Doku – Out with a calf injury. Expected return was 2 to 3 weeks from 21st August 2026.
Do I agree with Enzo’s (predicted) line-up?
Yep.
Result?
The loss of a decent manager, a good number of players / key players and a defeat on the opening day of the season won’t have given their fans much confidence about the season ahead but they did bolster their defence slightly with the loan of France international defender, Axel Disasi, from Chelsea on Wednesday. I can see him making his Palace debut tonight (8:00pm KO BST).
However, feeling a little low their fans might be but this is their opening home game of the season and under the floodlights and light drizzle, I fully expect the usual intense noise from the home crowd that is likely to give their players a much needed lift. I can see ‘em coming out with all guns blazing in the first 15-20 minutes.
How we handle that could dictate how the rest of the game plays out and one thing is for sure, if Bouaddi does indeed start watching the game from the bench then this fixture could prove to be a valuable, ‘welcome to football in England’ lesson for the 18-year-old.
Being the only City fan that I know of who thought we played well enough for the opening game of the season just five days ago; there’s certainly room or improvement and I expect that to be the case tonight. Not taking this somewhat deflated side for granted would be a good starting point.
I can’t see Maresca standing for that and I remain hopeful that we’ll see improvement and more cohesiveness tonight; all resulting in a City win…with a possible clean sheet for us too, I’m going to suggest.
Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:
Prediction: Draw
Result: Won
(Pre-match blog posting from that game)
Expected weather conditions during the game: A bit damp and overcast under those floodlights but rather warm for a night game. A southerly breeze drags up warm air to make 19C ‘feel like’ 21C (70F in old language). 👕🌧️🌂🥧🍺⚽
🎉 Congratulations! 🍾
A huge well done to both Nico O’Reilly and Khadija “Bunny” Shaw for their individual PFA awards this week and to Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland for making the PFA’s Team of the Year. 👏👏👏👏👏…
 |
| Solidarity |
