MAN CITY v Tottenham – PREVIEW: Champions League Awaits
9 May
35 games in and we are within spitting distance of Champions League qualification. A point here and, barring a pair of total capitulations at the hands of Stoke and Bolton, we’ve done it. Spurs were the side who defeated us last season to kill our dream, taking fourth place at our expense, so it would be a rather large measure of revenge if we were to secure our target against them.
A Peter Crouch goal in the crunch match last season sent Spurs to the San Siro and the Bernabéu, but this time around, due to the results at the weekend, this fixture has less riding on it. Even a defeat for City would still leave us as favourites to qualify, and with this match coming just four days before the FA Cup final against Stoke, there is a temptation to start looking towards that game.
That is arguably the biggest dilemma for Roberto Mancini as he picks his side. Does he rest a couple of key players in order to keep them fresh for Wembley, but risk a repeat of the showing against Liverpool? Or does he play his strongest side, hope to gain some momentum, but tire out our players? I suspect it will be a mixture of the two.
Yaya Touré, whose powerful surges from midfield are invaluable on Wembley’s extra spacious pitch, could be rested, although Mancini will be aware of the consequences of leaving out David Silva and/or Nigel De Jong. Micah Richards and Carlos Tévez are both expected to return to the bench, whilst Gareth Barry should be fit to start afte missing the loss to Everton.
Here is the side Mancini could select, although it is one of the trickier games to predict:
Spurs have struggled for goals recently with Jermain Defoe strangely off colour for virtually the whole of the season, Roman Pavlyuchenko looking lost and Peter Crouch not able to score consistently. Gareth Bale is out of this game after an awful Charlie Adam tackle in their last game, whilst they have Heurelho Gomes in net, so there’s always a chance of him gifting us a goal!
Referee: Mike Dean – Handled the FA Cup semi-final between City at United, under huge pressure, very well. Usually quite pedantic but let the game flow as he best could then. This doesn’t have as much riding on it as it did a few weeks ago, but Dean will still need to be strong.
Prediction: MAN CITY 2 – 2 Spurs - I think this will be a really entertaining affair with plenty of chances. Goals to be scored by Mario Balotelli, Edin Dzeko, Jermain Defoe and Rafael Van Der Vaart.
With Liverpool coming in full speed [they just creamed Fullham with 5 goals] and Tottenham reduced to bare bones with Gareth Bale, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Tom Huddlestone, Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King, Wilson Palacios and Alan Hutton all out. I can not see why City should settle for anything less than a win. Mancini should go with the strongest side to finish the job tomorrow. Champions League is of paramount importance to development of City during summer transfer window and next year.
why no de jong in your line up
I think he might be rested as he’s carrying a slight injury.
full steam ahead tonigh, seal the deal. get into europe.
win the FA cup.
two games, all we want is for the players to put in a shift for two games. we CAN beat tottenham and then win the FA, and i hate to use the “we’ve paid so much money” argument. but we have assembled a costly team that are meant to challenge on all fronts, the rags were able to win the league and get to the champions league final. we should demand the same from the boys in the blue.
all that said and done, ill take a draw tonight…..
Come on City! Start to make this the best week of my City supporting life (34years) and get the 2-0 I know you can.