Manuel Pellegrini`s City take on Felix Magath`s Fulham in a ‘must win` encounter for both teams.
Vital Quotes:
Manuel Pellegrini:
“It was a very good response in a very difficult week,’ said the City boss of the defiant win over Hull City. ‘We just lost against Wigan and against Barcelona and we needed to win today. Playing with one player less was very difficult. It was a good performance because we defended well with the ball and without the ball, and we also had three good chances to score. It was a very professional response from the players.”
Jesus Navas:
“We are not thinking about the Manchester derby, we are only focused on the Fulham game. This would be three very important points for us and when the game finishes then we will think about United. It is more difficult to play against teams that are fighting to avoid relegation because they defend very well and that playing style is the most difficult for us when they come and try to defend. But we did a good job last weekend at Hull and now we need to continue in the same manner against Fulham and in the games that follow.”
Felix Magath:
“You always have a chance, even in such difficult games as Man City. I think we can defend very well and so if we make it difficult for Man City to score then I think we`ll get a chance to score ourselves. “I hope the last game has given us more confidence so that we not only fight, but that we can also take part in the game. I don`t want the team to go back and only defend, I want us to go forward.”
Manchester City Team News:
OUT:
Richards; Aguero; Nastasic; Kompany (suspended)
LATE FITNESS TEST:
City from: Hart; Pantilimon; Zabaleta; Lescott; Nastasic; Demichelis; Clichy; Nasri; Fernandinho; Silva; Y Toure; Navas; Kolarov; Richards; Milner; Garcia; Dzeko; Negredo; Jovetic
Player to watch: Martin Demichelis
Having joined City from Pellegrini`s previous club, Malaga, the 33 year old Argentinian has had a difficult introduction to the Premier League in a City defence that has suffered from a lack of stability either from the demands of rotation, Joe Hart`s ‘loss of form` and absence of Kompany through injury earlier in the season. After struggling to come to terms with the pace of the Premier League he then found himself the wrong side of Lionel Messi in the home leg of the Champions League match against Barcelona and the rest is history. Experienced and calm under pressure he could be forgiven for having ‘Scapegoat` stencilled on his shirt instead of his name so often has he been singled out by the media often unfairly. He stepped up to the plate last weekend following the dismissal of Vincent Kompany against Hull and is likely to find himself at the heart of the City defence against Fulham. There could be no better time for him to show his quality and his defensive leadership ability.
Fulham Team News:
OUT:
Mitroglou; Dejagah; Karagounis; Duff; Parker; Burn
LATE FITNESS TEST:
Fulham from: Stockdale; Heitinga; Richardson; Hangeland; Amorebieta; Sidwell; Kvist; Kacaniklic; Holtby; Kasami; Woodrow; Reither; Stekelenburg; Rodallega; Riise; Roberts
Player to watch: Steve Sidwell
The 5`10″ midfielder has weighed in with 7 goals this season making him Fulham`s top scorer which tells a story in itself about the London club`s league position. The former Arsenal youth team player joined Fulham from Villa in the 2011 January transfer window and he has clocked up over 80 appearances. His dual in the centre of the midfield against City`s Fernandinho and Yaya Toure could be a key area.
Match Facts & Stats
THE NUMBERS GAME:
City win kept three successive clean sheets in the Barclays Premier League for the first time this season (May 2013 was the last time).
Fulham`s clean sheet against Newcastle last weekend was their first in the league for over three months when they defeated Aston Villa.
City have now won the last 21 competitive matches in which David Silva has scored.
Fulham have conceded 38 goals against sides in the top half of the Premier League this season – an average over 2.37 per game.
Eden Dzeko’s goal against Hull City ended a run of 10 hours and two minutes without scoring a competitive goal for City.
Head To Head
League: 27 City Wins, 15 Draws, 15 Fulham Wins
League Cup: 1 City Win, 0 Draws, 1 Fulham Win
FA Cup: 1 City Wins, 1 Draw, 1 Fulham Win
Total: 6 Fulham Wins, 5 Draws, 14 City Wins.
This Could Be The Last Time:
Sa 21 Dec 2013 Fulham 2 – 4 City
Sa 19 Jan 2013 City 2 -0 Fulham
Sa 29Sep 2012 Fulham 1 – 2 City
Sa 04Feb 2012 City 3 – 0 Fulham
Su 18Sep 2011 Fulham 2 -2 Fulham
Su 27Feb 2011 City 1 – 1 Fulham
Betting: City 1/6 Draw 8/1 Fulham 16/1 Racing Post Soccerbase.
TV Coverage: BBC Match of the Day; Sky Sports 1 Match Choice
LiveOnSat.com.
FORM LAST SIX FIXTURES ALL COMPETITIONS:B
CITY: LWWLLW
FULHAM: DLDLLW
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THE GAME LIVE IN THE VMC FORUM
CLASSIC CITY: Just in case we think we just have to turn up??Man City 2 Fulham 3 April 2008
Ref Watch:
Jonathon Moss of the West Riding 4th Official: N Miller of Co Durham
Match Prediction:
Skoorb On The Spot:
After disappointing exits from the FA Cup and Champions League City bounced back to show the resilience needed by potential champions to take all three points at Hull despite having to play for 80 minutes with only 10 men. The early loss of their captain could have been delivered a critical blow to their hopes but, buoyed by a superb strike from a David Silva who proved to be at his mesmeric best, they went on to claim the points and maintain the pressure on Chelsea. All will be for naught though if they fail to defeat a Fulham side who claimed their first win under new manager Felix Magath and their first in eleven matches last weekend. Despite that win Fulham remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League and with a need for points which is as keen as City`s. Eleven games to go for City and there is no margin for error in the most competitive Premier League title races for many years and with away games against both Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton to come. City will go into this game without their captain Vincent Kompany following his dismissal against Hull. The much maligned Demichelis stepped up to the plate last weekend and is likely to retain his place with Lescott likely to slot in alongside him. With the Mighty Atom, Sergio Aguero, still sidelined with his continuing muscle injury problems, and Stefan Jovetic likewise struggling for match fitness in his inaugural Premier League season, the striking responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Edin Dzeko and Alvaro Negredo neither of whom have been finding the net with any regularity recently. The business end of the season is now here. There is no hiding place and no room for ‘off days` – if anyone wanted a definition of every game being a ‘must win` then this is about as close as you could get. Game On! City 3 Fulham 1
Next Fixtures:
All times East Manchester
We 25 Mar 19h45 Manchester United, Old Trafford, PL
Sa 29 Mar 17h30 Arsenal, The Emirates, PL
Sa 05 April 12h45 Southampton, The Etihad, PL
Su 13 April 13h30 Liverpool, Anfield, PL
We 16 April 19h45 Sunderland, The Etihad, PL
Mo 21 April 20h00 West Brom, The Etihad, PL
Su 27 April 16h10 Crystal Palace, Selhurst Park, The Etihad, PL
Sa 03 May 15h00 Everton, Goodison Park, PL
We 07 May 19h45 Aston Villa, The Etihad, PL
Su 11 May 15h00 West Ham United, The Etihad, PL