City vs Swansea: Match Preview

City in crisis? Don't be daft!

By Dave Walker

Manchester City should be ok today as long as it’s made clear to Roberto Mancini and his first team squad that a team from a ‘foreign’ country does NOT always represent insurmountable European opposition!

Forgive the sardonic comment but it’s odds on City will contrive to deliver a singularly underwhelming performance if there’s even a hint of the continent about their opponents. Non-English Swansea, thankfully, don’t qualify.

Manchester City: The season so far

Edin's form is sending chills through defenders across the country.

By Aaron Leggott

After Saturday's win at the Hawthorns, City are sitting pretty in third place after eight games played, but it hasn't been as simple as it looks on paper.

Despite an unbeaten start to the season, there have been many occasions where that record has looked under threat. Performances at Anfield and Craven Cottage pop into mind, where late goals from Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko helped prevent any blushes on Roberto Mancini's part.

G'Edin there! Dzeko's late goals have won City vital points already this season
Photo: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images Europe

And some out of sort Champions League performances has meant that, barring a miracle, City are facing an early exit from the elite competition.

If I was to describe the start to this season, it would be a mixed bag of performances. At times, we have looked unstoppable (Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium comes to mind, in particular), whilst at points we have looked to have been suffering from a title winning hangover.

City vs Ajax: Match Preview

"Dambusters": City on a European mission 

By Dave Walker 

As reigning champions of England and the Netherlands, Manchester City and Ajax are waging almost carbon copy defences of their domestic crowns.

Both remain undefeated and yet both are perceived to be under-performing in their respective leagues.  Ajax have won four and drawn five of their nine games so far, whereas City have won five and drawn three of their opening eight fixtures.

Whether that is a harsh judgment - based on games in the Eredivisie and the Premier League - is debatable.  City are, on a game-by-game comparison,  six points ahead of last season’s haul of 89 - so much for perception and reality.

But the criticism carries weight in Europe,  when it comes to results – if not performances - in their Group D Champions League campaign.

Match Report: City 2 - 1 West Brom

The Edin Dzeko show
Photo: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images Europe

City's garden of Edin 

By Dave Walker

Manchester City’s thoroughly deserved 2-1 win at The Hawthorns was undoubtedly the late Edin Dzeko show as 10-man City persevered in adversity.

But it was a victory built on resilience, self belief and strength of purpose stemming from that memorable, last minute, title-clinching win over QPR last May.

Has there ever been a team more aware of the rewards to be had by keeping going until the final whistle, than Roberto Mancini’s men – I think not.

This was as dramatic a win as you’ll see all season as City kept their composure, stayed patient and ultimately triumphed after being a man down for 75 minutes of play.