City go gunning for glory...
By Dave Walker
Who will ever
forget the incredulous scenes as Sergio Aguero wheeled away triumphantly, stripped
to the
waist, shirt whirring in the air proclaiming Manchester City as Premier League champions after the winner
against QPR?
waist, shirt whirring in the air proclaiming Manchester City as Premier League champions after the winner
against QPR?
Amid wild celebrations - seen the world
over - City clinched the title accompanied by the now legendary
‘Agueeeerrroooooo’ commentary and iconic footage.
Defeated, dejected and seemingly dumped out
of the title race by a resurgent Arsenal, courtesy of a 25-yard screamer from
Mikel Arteta, who could have foreseen what was to follow?
City remain unbeaten in the Premier League
since that seemingly calamitous Easter Sunday, having risen Lazarus-like to the
top of English football - but now they face Arsene Wenger’s new look Gunners
once again.
It was a sweet win for Wenger’s men, so long
the butt of jibes of being City’s feeder club, given the procession of ex
Gunners rocking up at the Etihad.
As such Gael Clichy is probably the only ex
Emirates employee likely to be on show this Sunday. Samir Nasri should be
spared the wrath of the away fans with a pulled hamstring, Kolo Toure no longer
figures in Mancini’s plans and Adebayor is long gone. At least the sell-out
crowd will be united in their shared condemnation of one, Robin Van Persie.
A 10-game unbeaten record will come under
fire from a radically reshaped Arsenal with a mean defence and a
Franco-Prussian attack, carefully orchestrated by an Iberian playmaker.
Accusations of being a one-man team were
banished when RVP chose the ‘Dark Side’ and Arsenal used the £24m fee to
acquire new boys Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla.
Given City’s worrying propensity for
leaking goals this season a 0-0 draw would seem a very unwise wager at the
bookies. City’s PL leading defence from 2011/12 has conceded six already with
Arsenal’s miserly rearguard – masterminded by Wenger’s new deputy, Steve Bould
– being breached just once.
The teams sit in the top four with eight
points apiece, but come into the clash at the Etihad having experienced hugely
different Champion’s League emotions this week.
Arsenal notched an expected win against
Montpellier, while Roberto Mancini’s men suffered last minute devastation in
the 3-2 Bernabeu thriller.
It will be a testament to Mancini’s
managerial skills, aligned to the players’ resilience and determination if City
were to enhance a remarkable sequence of 25 home wins from the last 26 home
fixtures.
Changes in personnel are inevitable. A fit
again Aguero could start and perennial maverick Mario Balotelli should figure
somewhere, after being banished to the stands in Madrid amid accusations of
late night partying and cigarette smoking.
If the enigmatic striker does make it on to
the pitch City fans will be hoping he leaves the field either at the behest of
his manager or at the final whistle – unlike his senseless antics and dismissal
last Easter.
Apart from a 3-0 reversal in 2010/11, City
have enjoyed home wins of 4-2, 3-0 and 1-0 in recent cup and league matches in
Manchester, plus the pre-season 2-0 curtain raiser victory in Beijing.
For City it provides the sternest
examination yet of their ability to defend their crown and it’ll need a much
improved performance to maintain that winning sequence.
Player watch
David Silva vs Santi Corzola
Not the Spanish Inquisition – the Spanish
Opposition as the two ex La Liga playmakers face off at the Etihad.
International medal laden Silva is one of
the barriers keeping Arsenal’s new star out of the international starting XI,
but the ex-Malaga maestro is earning rave reviews since joining the Gunners.
City’s ‘Merlin’ has just signed a new five
year deal and needs to get back to his mesmeric best after a demanding and
energy sapping summer. Carzola has the element of surprise to the English game
and City will need to beware.
No comments:
Post a Comment