Roberto will have some difficult decisions to make in terms of selection for Saturday’s match with Everton. Roque Santa Cruz and Shaun Wright-Phillips are now back in the picture after recovering from their respective injuries.
Robinho is returning to full fitness and could do with a long run in the side (look what it’s done for Carlos Tevez) to re-establish his place. However, I hope he doesn’t think he’ll walk back into the side because he certainly won’t, a bit of graft is required.
Patrick Vieira is in line to make his Manchester City debut and is rated as 50/50 with a niggling calf injury. Stephen Ireland is definitely out with a hamstring strain but could be back in action with-in a week. Nedum Onouha should return in about 20 days whilst Bridge, Johnson & Lescott are all still quite a way off recovery.
Emmanuel Adebayor is set to return to Manchester City after the terrorist attack on the Togo team but will not be in the right frame-of mind to play, which is quite understandable. Finally, Kolo Toure is still absent as he is on International duty with the Ivory Coast.
Anyway, it is very hard to predict what team Mancini will opt for as he has chopped and changed it so much but I have a good idea. I think he will rest Bellamy with the Manchester derby so close and with the chance he could re-ignite an old knee injury.
Therefore, I think he will bring in SWP for the Welshman but stick with the partnership of Benjani and Tevez up-top. However, I would prefer to see Santa Cruz partner Tevez. I expect Robinho to take up his place on the bench, but he could start if SWP is not at full fitness.
Possible Starting Team:
(4-4-2)
1) Given
5) Zabaleta – 2) Richards – 33) Kompany – 15) Garrido
8) SWP – 34) de Jong – 18) Barry – 17) Petrov
32) Tevez – 27) Benjani
As for Everton, they have a lot of injury problems. Two of their best players in Mikel Arteta and Phil Jagielka are still out but young Jack Rodwell is not far from getting back into the selection picture. Sylvian Distin, the ex-City defender is doubful and Lucas Neill is set to play his last game for the club. Anichebe, Gosling and Hibbert are injured with Yobo and Yakubu and away in Angola.
Possible Starting Team:
(4-4-2)
24) Howard
18) Neville – 5) Heitinga – 23) Neill – 3) Baines
20) Piennar 9) Donovan – 25) Fellani – 7) Bilyaletdinov
17) Cahill – 8) Saha
Thoughts?
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