City meet Derby County for the first visit to the City of Manchester Stadium and their first match with each other in seven years.
Vital Quotes:
Sven said: ‘I haven`t said one word about next Sunday, absolutely not, and I am not going to. The big game for us is the game with Derby. You have to only look at the next game and not what is happening after that.’ he went on to say: Whatever team you are manager for, if your own team doesn`t have the work ethic and doesn’t work hard during games, you will not win. It doesn`t matter if you are top or bottom, because the opponents always work very hard.
‘That`s the beauty of the Premier League, every team are physically and tactically prepared for 90-plus minutes where the pace is incredible, whomever you meet. That`s why everybody wants to play and everybody wants to watch the Premier League wherever you go in the world.’
Billy Davies is quoted as saying: ‘Manchester City are a very big club who have spent lots of money and signed players with great quality, so again it is a real test for us.
e went on to say: ‘This is another three points in another very difficult match against another very big club in the Premier League.
‘It is a very good challenge to try and compete with the quality of management and player we find ourselves up against.’
Manchester City Team News:
No new injury worries; Michael Ball is still susbended and so Javier Garrido continues in the left back role. City’s number one goalkeeper, Andreas Isaksson is still along term injury and with no replacement signed it is likely that Kasper Schmeichel will keep his place in the starting line up after keeping a clean sheet at West Ham at the weekend. Whether Sven will keep to his fluid 4-5-1 formation for home games is another matter as City fans have been starved of goals at Eastlands and I think a 4-4-2 formation is more likely with Bianchi and Bojinov starting up front and possible Hamann being rested till Sunday’s derby game.
Player to watch: Elano Blumer
Elano Blumer: The little Brazilian gave us a little taste of his footballing skill last saturday.
Derby County Team News:
There are no reports of any injuries from their squad. Derby County have the two ex-city players in their squad of Tyrone Mears and Jonathan Macken. Macken only manageg 31 starts during his City spell whilst youngster Mears left before his City career got started.
Player to watch: Robert Earnshaw
Robert Earnshaw: The little welsh international can be a real live wire on his day and is not afraid to find the back of the net.
Match Facts & Stats
City have only met Derby County in the premiership back in the 2000/1 season when Joe Royle was in charge. Both games ending in draws. Richard Dunne is the only remaining player from both sides that played in both games.
Ref Watch:
Referee Lee Mason takes charge of his first premiership game of the season and his first game involving City or Derby County; and so is an unknown quantity for either teams.
Match Prediction:
City 2 – 1 Derby County; Derby to press the game harder than West Ham did, but ultimately City to have that little bit more extra quality to make it count.
Next Fixtures:
MCFC v MUFC: Sunday 19th August 1:30pm kick off live on Sky Sports.