A game Pep doesn’t like.

That’s what Pep said about this match weeks ago when he was asked about up and coming fixtures…then he repeated what he’d said following a similar question in another pre-match press conference a week or two later.

Our manager believes that an already relegated team brings its own-unique dangers and, from 3:00pm to around 4:50pm today, we’ll find out.

v Southampton

St. Mary's Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 10/11).

A very fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-6-0 (occasional 3-7-0):

_______________________________________________

___________________Marmoush___________________

 

__Doku__________________________________Silva__

 

________Gundogan_____________De Bruyne________

____________________Kovacic____________________

 

O’Reilly___________________________________Nunes

__________Gvardiol_______________Dias___________

 

 

____________________Ederson____________________

Subs: Ortega, Lewis, Akanji, Gonzalez, Foden, McAtee, Grealish, Savinho and Haaland.

Ed in net.

A back-4 come 3 of Nico O’Reilly, Josko, Ruben and Matheus.

Mateo to continue in the deepest midfield position, with Jeremy, Ilkay, Kevin and Bernardo ahead of the Croatian in fluid, attacking midfield / wing positions.

Omar could still get another start as our furthest forward player and that’s despite the return of his striking colleague.

Stefan continues to provide keeper insurance, while Rico and Manuel provide defensive cover on the bench. Nico Gonzalez, Phil and James make up three midfielders in ‘the 9’; Jack and Savinho give us two wing options and a returning Erling is reserve striker.

Notable absences:

-       Abdukodir Khusanov – Not selected.

-       John Stones – Going off the initial assessment and timescale information given, John is due back any time now following a thigh injury. His manager said on 18^th April that John was getting better and so, now I suppose, we await a further update. Clearly it’s taking longer than expected…

-       Nathan Ake – Back in training following a fractured foot for which he had surgery.

-       Vitor Reis – Not selected.

-       Rodri – Continues to train on his long journey back to fitness following an ACL injury last September. On 25^th April, his manager first confirmed that he was no longer training alone but was back with his teammates and he’s basically waiting for the ‘thumbs up’ from the Doctors before he can be considered for a matchday squad.

-       Oscar Bobb – Back in training following minor hamstring injury on his way back from a fractured leg he suffered on 13^th August 2024.

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

Yep.

Result?

Okay, this could be a strangely-tricky fixture with our hosts having already been relegated weeks ago and they will be desperately trying not join Derby County for having the joint-worst ever Premier League points tally of just 11 points.

Yes, the bottom side by a whopping 10 points and with a goal difference of -57, could take vital points off us on Saturday afternoon. Stranger things in football have happened.

However, I just can’t see it.

As long as we turn up with the right attitude – that is very important in a fixture like this one where it’s all too easy to simply ‘rock up’ thinking you’ve won before a ball has even been kicked – then we should take all-3 points.

That’s what I’m going for – a City win.

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

Prediction: N/A

Result: N/A

Expected weather conditions during the game: 19C (66F) and wall-to-wall sunshine. There is a fairly brisk south-easterly breeze on the south coast but nothing that detracts from the pleasantly warm temperature. UV levels are HIGH. Enjoy Blues! ☀⛱😎🍺⚽

Solidarity

Top of the table!

The form table, that is…and it’s our Friday night visitors, Wolves, I’m on about.

Okay, so their excellent run of back-to-back wins (6 in total) were all against sides in or around the relegation zone. However, winning breeds confidence and theirs must be sky high at the moment. Prior to those half-dozen wins were a couple of 1-1 draws too - their last defeat was way back on 25^th February!

Yes Blues, it’s yet ANOTHER in-form team we have to try ‘n’ get all-3 points from…

v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Etihad Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 8/11).

A very fluid 4-2-3-1 / 4-6-0 (occasional 3-7-0):

_________________________________________________

____________________Marmoush____________________

 

_______Gundogan____De Bruyne______Silva__________

 

______________Kovacic____________________________

____________________________Gonzalez_____________

 

O’Reilly_____________________________________Nunes

__________Gvardiol________________Dias____________

 

 

_____________________Ederson_____________________

Subs: Ortega, Lewis, Akanji, Khusanov, McAtee, Foden, Doku, Grealish and Savinho.

It sounds to me like we’ll see Ederson back in goal.

A back-4 is likely to be Nico O’Reilly, Josko, Ruben and Matheus.

In and out of the side since his arrival purely as a result of his manager’s team selections; I think we might see Nico Gonzalez start tonight but I’m prepared to be wrong as I was for our last outing. If I happen to be right, Mateo to give the Spaniard some company in the heart of our midfield.

A trio of Ilkay, Kevin and Bernardo ahead of that pair and all behind Omar up top.

Stefan returns to the bench to provide keeper insurance; Rico, Manuel and Abdukodir make up three defenders on the side. James and Phil are just two midfielders in ‘the 9’, while Jeremy, Jack and Savinho give us three wing options from the bench.

Notable absences:

-       John Stones – Out with a thigh injury for anything up to another week, going off the initial assessment and timescale information given. His manager said on 18^th April that John was getting better.

-       Nathan Ake – Recovering from a fractured foot, for which he has had surgery and, just like John, his manager said on 18^th April that Nathan was getting better also.

-       Vitor Reis – Not selected.

-       Rodri – Continues to train on his long journey back to fitness following an ACL injury last September. On 25^th April, his manager confirmed that he was no longer training alone but was back with his teammates (not sure from what date – it could have been a few weeks earlier but regardless…👍).

-       Oscar Bobb – Injured with an almost inevitable hamstring issue, following a long injury layoff with a fractured leg. Apparently the problem is only minor and he may be in contention to join a matchday squad before the end of the season. I continue to believe that it’s more likely he’ll return just in time for the Club World Cup in the summer – I’ve said before, there’s no point in rushing him at this stage of the season and with the wing options that we have at our disposal.

-       Erling Haaland – Back in partial training with his teammates following an ankle injury he received on 30^th March. His manager said on 1^st May that he hopes Erling can step up to full training soon and, not long after that, be in contention to take his place in a matchday squad before the end of the season; including the possibility in the F.A. Cup final.

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

Yep.

Result?

I’ve applauded our visitor’s 8-game unbeaten run but it’s worth noting that in those 8 matches they only managed to keep three clean sheets so they can be got at.

I’ve got to admit that I’ve not even been watching any Wolves’ highlights particularly closely but if lower-table sides can score past ‘em then surely we can pop a few in tonight.

Their main danger man that we have to be very aware of, especially in fast-breaking counter attacks, is 25-year-old attacking midfielder / winger / forward, Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian international has 15 goals and 6 assists in the league this season. They also have 6’ 4” Norwegian forward, Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has 13 goals and a couple of assists in the same competition.

I think there will be goals at both ends and I say that despite us keeping four clean sheets in our last six fixtures. There’s definite improvement in our defence and midfield work rate; both areas that are producing results in that area of the pitch.

There could be a few nerves around if we allow Wolves to score first but regardless of how the match ebbs and flows, I’m going for us to come out on top. It’s a home win for me.

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

Prediction: Win

Result: Won

(Pre-match blog posting from that game)

Expected weather conditions during the game: Another beautiful evening in the area which sees the match start off with unbroken sunshine; albeit very low in the sky for this 8:00pm KO. Temperature starts off at 16C but as clear blue skies turns to clear black, that heat nosedives and by the time fans are exiting the stadium, we’re down to just 13C, so if you have a long walk then a light jacket might still be advisable. As for the playing conditions it’s perfect. ☀😎🌜🥧🍺⚽

Congratulations to our Under-18s who won their league in dramatic style last Saturday.

 

Solidarity