Match Preview: Bayern Munich vs Manchester City

City look to get revenge against European Champions

By Jack Mumford

Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich’s fortress, is City’s destination for their final game in the group stage of the Champions League on Tuesday night. 

With Bayern yet to lose at home this season and their complete domination of City at the Etihad Stadium in October still fresh in everyone’s memory, Manuel Pellegrini and his men will be glad they can go to Munich knowing their place in the Knockout phase is already confirmed. City can still finish top of Group D but would need to win by three clear goals at the home of the European Champions.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Match Reflection: Southampton 1 - 1 Manchester City

Another goal for Agüero but City continue to stutter on the road

By Jack Mumford

It was a story of missed chances, disjointed defending and a Hollywood goal in City’s 1-1 draw at the St Mary’s Stadium this afternoon. Another early Sergio Agüero goal set the ball rolling but after a special goal from Saints striker Dani Osvaldo, the Blues were forced to hang on to the point.

After City’s victory at West Brom on Wednesday night, they appeared to be back on the right track away from the Etihad Stadium but this display will have fans of Manuel Pellegrini’s men worried again.

Southampton started the season as standard bearers for hard working, pressing defending with neat, intricate football to match. They have, however, faltered recently having lost their last three Premier League matches. In fairness, this included trips to Arsenal and Chelsea.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Match Reflection: West Brom 2 - 3 Manchester City

City break away duck with solid victory

By Jack Mumford

City slayed their away demons last night, powering past a shell-shocked West Bromwich Albion to win 3-2, with a late onslaught from West Brom making the scoreline a more respectable one. After losing four of the six away Premier League games so far this season, City knew they had to improve their away form to stand a chance of winning the title. 

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

West Brom have already won at Old Trafford and drawn at Stamford Bridge this season so City’s comprehensive victory is no mean feat.

Manuel Pellegrini made three changes from Sunday's victory over Swansea. The major news was captain Vincent Kompany returned to the side after two months out with a thigh injury. Joleon Lescott was the unfortunate man who had to make way for the returning Belgian. 

Match Preview: Manchester City vs Viktoria Plzeň

City face Czech champions in final home European group tie

By Aaron Leggott

As the football season hits December, many fans across Europe start to prepare for an exhilarating month of football as the Champions League group stage reaches its climax. 

However, those connected with Manchester City will, in some ways, be glad to be able to focus on other competitions after qualification to the knockout stages was secured against CSKA Moscow earlier this month.

Of course, Manuel Pellegrini would prefer to see his side top Group D and receive a potentially easier route into the quarter finals, but the Chilean will acknowledge that any possibility of that happening will only occur if Pep Guardiola's side have a major slip up - which doesn't look likely on current form.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

City's opponents for their penultimate fixture appear in the form of Czech champions Viktoria Plzeň - the team yet to register a point in the Champions League this season.

Manchester City 6 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur: Thoughts and Ratings

By Jack Mumford

Well another scintillating performance against one of the best teams in the league at the Etihad Stadium. Many fans must now be dreaming of where we would be if only we could produce this form away from home.

The ghost of Sunderland felt like it was hanging over the club at the start of the day but City certainly showed they have moved on by putting six past one of the meanest defences in the country.

Many City players had their best game for a long while and Tottenham just couldn’t deal with it. If a side as good as Spurs struggled to deal with us then the rest of the Premier League must fear their trip to the Etihad Stadium. Such an emphatic performance only makes it more baffling that City aren’t running away with the Premier League this season.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

In Sergio Agüero Manchester City have a player that is simply on top of his game, and potentially the world, right now. Every time he received the ball yesterday he glided around any defender in front of him - leading to Pellegrini calling him the “third best player in the world." Agüero has defenders constantly running scared at the moment and it is simply a joy to watch such a talent playing in a City shirt. 

Match Reflection: Manchester City 6 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur

Six of the best sees City climb up the table

By Aaron Leggott

Yes, you read the title of that post right. Tottenham not only beaten, but humiliated. It is very rare (in fact, unbelievable) to see a scoreline between two top sides that reflects such a dominant performance, but in truth City should and could have had even more against an embarrassing Spurs side at the Etihad Stadium yesterday.

Goals from Sergio Agüero, Álvaro Negredo and Jesús Navas secured another historic victory for the Blues on home turf, and leaves critics questioning the reasons why Manuel Pellegrini's men can't replicate these performances away from home.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Match Reflection: Sunderland 1 - 0 Manchester City

Bardsley bursts City's title hopes

By Adam Bailey

Ex-Manchester United defender Phil Bardsley condemned Manchester City to their fourth defeat of the season in a 1-0 win that inflicted significant wounds into City's title hopes. 

The Stadium of Light has become a 'stadium of plight' for the Blues who have now suffered four consecutive 1-0 losses in Wearside. Gus Poyet's Black Cats were drowning in the depths of the relegation zone before 2pm on Sunday afternoon, but a thrilling three points against Manuel Pellegrini's side will help scratch themselves back up the table.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

The hosts started brightly when Sebastian Larsson tested the alertness of a make-shift City defence with a wicked ball that just escaped striker Steven Fletcher. However, the Swede was lucky to escape a straight red card just minutes later when he presented Javi Garcia with a menacing view of the bottom of his boot. Mike Dean was perfectly positioned, but not even a yellow was shown to the midfielder.

In the Spotlight: Sunderland

No. 12: Paolo di Canio, Gus Poyet and the impact of Steven Fletcher

By Jack Mumford

City travel to the Stadium of Light this weekend to face a struggling Sunderland side. We caught up with Sunderland fan Glen Cardy (@glencardy7) to consider their season so far and look ahead to Sunday’s match.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Manchester City 5 - 2 CSKA Moscow: Thoughts and Ratings

By Aaron Leggott

My thoughts

What a great performance to cap off and ensure Champions League qualification at the third time of asking. 

Despite the group we were given, it is a hugely impressive feat to qualify with two games spare. Not only does it give us the opportunity to rest players in the remaining two fixtures against Viktoria Plzeň and Bayern Munich, but it also gives the players a new breed of confidence as they enter new territory. 

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Of course, our form in the Premier League will also benefit if we are to rest key players, and will give us an advantage on rivals who are still yet to qualify from their respective groups.

Match Reflection: Manchester City 5 - 2 CSKA Moscow

‘Beauty and the Beast’ seal last 16 qualification for the first time in City history

By Adam Bailey

The Etihad Stadium was treated to another five Manchester City goals on Tuesday night as Álvaro Negredo and Sergio Agüero ran riot in a 5-2 win over CSKA Moscow. 

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Manuel Pellegrini’s impressive Champions League credentials were on the line before the crucial tie in Manchester, but his side were in fine form to seal a comprehensive victory that fired them into the last sixteen for the first time in their history. 

Match Preview: Manchester City vs CSKA Moscow

Group Stage qualification just one win away for City in the Champions League

By Aaron Leggott

Following the 2-1 victory in Russia's capital city a fortnight ago, City and CSKA Moscow meet again at the Etihad Stadium with the Blues needing a win to ensure qualification from the Champions League for the first time in their history.

The reverse fixture between the teams was marred by hundreds of CSKA fans aiming racist abuse at Yaya Touré, and the Ivorian will probably be looking to silence the minority and help his team reach the knockout stages.

And following the 7-0 drubbing of Norwich City at the weekend, City come into the game in good form, winning four of the last five in all competitions.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Match Reflection: Manchester City 7 - 0 Norwich City

City blow the Canaries out the water

By Jack Mumford

City demolished a shambolic Norwich City side by scoring seven for the first time in their Premier League history on a blustery afternoon at the Etihad Stadium. Completing 712 passes in the process, the victory never seemed in doubt for City who were dominant in every aspect.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Returning to the Etihad which has been such a fortress for the last few seasons after almost a month of away games, City’s array of attacking options just appeared to be too clever and too quick for a hapless Norwich defence.

As rumoured, Costel Pantilimon started in goal ahead of Joe Hart but as you can probably gather from the score line, anyone of the 47,066 crowd could probably have been in net for City. He was forced into one smart diving save in the first half but for the most part he was merely a spectator to the massacre like the rest of us.

Match Preview: Newcastle United vs Manchester City

City divert attention to domestic cup action after Chelsea defeat

By Rebecca Halliwell

The fourth round of the Capital One Cup sees Manchester City travelling to St James’ Park. 

Manchester City will want to win to make amends for their defeat to Chelsea at the weekend. Their away form seemed to be improving but a late goal from Fernando Torres saw City limited to four points out of a possible 15. 

While the Capital One Cup won’t be on the top of Manuel Pellegrini’s must-win list, the Chilean will be expected to put out a good squad and prove the Blues depth. 

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

In the Spotlight: Newcastle United

No. 11: A Derby defeat, Loïc Rémy and Sammy Ameobi

By Aaron Leggott

Following Sunday's catastrophic 2-1 defeat at the hands of Chelsea, the Blues turn their attention to domestic cup football as they travel to the North East to play Newcastle. The previous meeting between the sides saw City come out 4-0 winners. I spoke with Newcastle fan Adam Johnson (@ajnufc) to get an update on our opponents. 

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

West Ham United 1 - 3 Manchester City: Thoughts and Ratings

By Adam Bailey 

My thoughts

Let’s be honest; our hearts were in our mouths just moments prior to kick off. West Ham’s spectacular 3-0 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight ago married with our repugnant away form so far this season promised only more despair for Manuel Pellegrini’s title chasers.

Those were the typical thoughts of a pessimistic City fan who knew that his beloved blues could beat, and also lose to any team in the Premier League. However, class (not money) shone through and we stylishly placed the Hammers back in the toolbox.

For me, there were three stand out performers, two of which have undergone some unfair criticism this season. Firstly, Sergio Agüero looks to be back to his brilliant best and seems to have put his parasitical injury trouble behind him. Six league goals already this campaign pays testament to his natural finishing ability and his second of the game shows he has no trouble heading the ball either!

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

In the Spotlight: West Ham United

No. 9: Ravel Morrison, Manuel Pellegrini and West Ham's inconsistent form

By Aaron Leggott

The international break has finally come to an end as Premier League football returns this weekend. Ahead of City's game at West Ham, we caught up with Hammers fan Jack Bowers (@JackBowers92) to get a lowdown on tomorrow evening's opponents. 

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Match Reflection: Manchester City 3 - 1 Everton

City continue their 100% home league record against Everton

By Jack Mumford

Goals from Álvaro Negredo, Sergio Agüero and a Tim Howard own goal made it four victories from four home Premier League games for City this season as they overcame an in-form Everton side 3-1 this lunchtime. 

This result improved a bad week in which City have lost both to Aston Villa and Bayern Munich. The impressive win came despite playing the last hour without inspirational captain Vincent Kompany who walked off with a suspected groin strain. Kompany was joined on the treatment table by Aleksandar Kolarov who disappeared down the tunnel midway through the second half.

Boss Manuel Pellegrini elected to stick with the same 4-4-2 formation that was so convincingly beaten by European champions Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.  However, there were several changes in personnel as Pablo Zabaleta came back into the side, Joleon Lescott came in for Matija Nastasić to slot in alongside Kompany - albeit only for half an hour - and Kolarov started ahead of Gaël Clichy at left back.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

In the Spotlight: Everton

No. 8: Keeping Leighton Baines, new signings and a bold prediction!

By Aaron Leggott

Following two consecutive defeats against Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, the Blues are set to face Everton in the day's early kick off. We caught up with Toffees fan Nick Bailey (@nbabsolutely) to get a perspective from our upcoming opponent.

Photo: Official Everton Facebook

Match Preview: Manchester City vs Bayern Munich

City set to take on European Champions

By Aaron Leggott

After a convincing win in the Czech Republic a fortnight ago, Manchester City are getting ready to face a totally different challenge this evening in the Champions League.

That challenge comes in the form of current holders Bayern Munich, who travel to the Etihad for the second time in three years. That game saw City come out as comfortable 2-0 winners, but it was essentially a dead rubber with Bayern resting a number of key players.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Match Reflection: Aston Villa 3 - 2 Manchester City

Dominant Blues suffer shock defeat

By Aaron Leggott

A second half turnaround from Aston Villa ensured a brilliant week culminated with a sour ending as the Blues succumbed to their second Premier League defeat of the season.

In truth, anyone who watched the game would have expressed their surprise at this result, such was City's domination for large periods of the game.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

Yaya Touré opened the scoring for the Blues, before Karim El Ahmadi levelled the scoreline just after half time. Edin Džeko almost instantly replied to put City back ahead before goals from Leandro Bacuna and Andreas Weimann secured the points for the Villans.