On Sky
A game where City have a chance to get their European aspirations back on track with a vital three points against a side that they have failed to beat in the Premier League.
Vital Quotes:
Sven talks about our recent home form: “Saturday is a new game and nothing to do with history. We lost to Arsenal and Everton, so it`s time to win at home again. We have 11 games to go, it`s important to win as many as we can for our position in the table but also to see that we have a team that will not give up this season.
“It`s important that we start winning at home again, starting with Wigan, to get as many points as possible and lift ourselves back up the table.”
He continues: ‘we conceded two goals far too easily against Everton. But we didn`t play much bad football, if you had asked me after 25 minutes I would have said to carry on playing as we were doing.’
“I don`t know if it will be that much different against Wigan. They will sit back, defend and try to hit on the counter-attack. They will try to mark our strikers out onto the wings, and of course mark Elano wherever he plays, deep or high up. That`s normal, Wigan are fighting for their lives and they are coming to us with nothing to lose.”
Manchester City FC Team News:
Sven Goran Eriksson is forced to make at least two changes to his side which lost against Everton. Defender Micah Richards is recovering from a knee operation while attacking midfielder Martin Petrov starts a three-match ban following his last-minute dismissal against the Toffees. Defender Vedran Corluka and midfielder Elano are poised to return to the starting line-up while fellow midfielder Michael Johnson comes into contention following an abdominal strain.
City also have the services of Castillo and Caicedo to call on as both scored in the reserves this week.
Bojinov is probably still a few weeks away from being match fit.
Player to watch: Nery Castillo
Looked very sharp when he came on against Everton on Monday.
Wigan Athletic FC Team News:
Wigan manager Steve Bruce again has virtually a full-strength squad to choose from and therefore could name an unchanged side from the team which beat Derby.
There is only Ryan Taylor out with a Rib injury.
Player to watch: Emile Heskey
The big guy up front can be a real handful.
Match Facts & Stats
City have lost both home premier league games one nil at the City of Manchester Stadium against Wigan. City have not suffered successive losses since two 1-0 away defeats to Arsenal and Blackburn on 25 August and 2 September respectively. Wigan have won only one away league game all season, and that came at marooned Derby County, and kept just one clean sheet from their 18 Premier League trips.
Ref Watch:
Steve Bennett – his third City game this season. Both games he did a good job; Home to Middlesbrough and Tottenham in the league cup where only his assistant let him down to allow Tottenham’s first goal.
Match Prediction:
City to get things going again and will show a bit too much quality for Wigan. An easier and comfortable victory. City 2 – 0 Wigan.
Next Fixtures:
Reading away for amazingly a Saturday 3pm kick off on March 8th.