Riding a wave of derby euphoria, City have a League Cup Third Round opportunity for cup revenge against Wigan…
Vital Quotes:
Manuel Pellegrini:
‘The most important thing is the players trust in what we are doing. We demonstrated that during 90 minutes against United…We are just starting. Every match is different but all the fans can be sure we will try to play with the most offensive and attacking team we can.’
Owen Coyle:
‘We are in the middle of a run of three games in five days spanning three competitions. This is going to test the squad to the limit…Any game I enter in to I want to win but we’re playing against an elite club, not only in English football but in European football, one of the favourites for the Champions League, never mind the Premier League, and we’re asked to go there after one day’s rest and try and win that cup tie. There’s no mistaking I will make numerous changes for the game on Tuesday night.’
Manchester City Team News:
OUT:
David Silva
Martin Demichelis
Jack Rodwell
Gael Clichy
Player to watch: Stevan Jovetić
The 23 year old Montenegrin is sure to get the nod against Wigan to show The Etihad what he can do following the injury that has pegged back his progress since joining City. A terrific young footballer earmarked as one of The Engineer’s most exciting summer signings, he will have a point or two to prove.
Wigan Athletic Team News:
OUT:
Grant Holt
Gary Caldwell
Ivan Ramis
Ali Al Habsi
Player to watch: Nick Powell
Owen Coyle is likely to ring the changes as Latics grapple with their own intensive fixture schedule but on loan rag Powell scored a cracking goal against Ipswich at the weekend and will need shackling if selected.
Match Facts & Stats
THE NUMBERS GAME:
City have lost their last 2 home matches in the League Cup to Liverpool and Aston Villa. Prior to that The Blues won 5 consecutive home League Cup clashes.
Wigan won 4-1 in both their previous League Cup Third Round away ties against West Ham and Ipswich.
HEAD TO HEAD
League: 5 Wigan Wins, 3 Draws, 10 City Wins
League Cup: 1 Wigan Win, 1 Draw, 1 City Win
Other Cup: 1 Draw, 1 City Win
FA Cup: 2 City Wins 1 Wigan Win
Total: 7 Wigan Wins, 5 Draws, 14 City Wins
THIS COULD BE THE LAST TIME:
Sa 11May 2012 Man City 0 – Wigan 1 FACF
We 17Apr 2012 Man City 1 – 0 Wigan PL
We 28Nov 2012 Wigan 0 – 2 Man City PL
Mo 16Jan 2012 Wigan 0 – 1 Man City PL
Sa 10Sep 2011 Man City 3 – 0 Wigan PL
Sa 05Mar 2011 Man City 1 – 0 Wigan PL
Su 19Sep 2010 Wigan 0 – 2 Man City PL
Betting: City 1/4 Draw 11/2 Wigan 13 Racing Post Soccerbase
FORM LAST 6 GAMES ALL COMPETITIONS:
Wigan: DDWLDW
City: WLWDWW
CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR PREDICTIONS AND FOLLOW THE GAME LIVE IN THE VMC FORUM
mcfcofficial: City 4-1 United: Manuel Pellegrini reaction
TV COVERAGE: Al Jazeera
LiveOnSat.com
Ref Watch:
Kevin Friend of Leicestershire
-Last Season: Su 12Aug 2012 Chelsea 2 – 3 Man City CS, We 26Dec 2012 Sunderland 1 – 0 Man City This Season: No City Games Reffed To Date-2012/13: 35 Games, 128 Yellows, 4 Reds -2013/2014: 3 Games, 13 Yellows, 0 Reds.
Match Prediction:
Johnny On The Spot:
Planet Blue finds itself in a phase where a buoyant mood dictates that the next game can’t come around quick enough such is the excitement generated by The Blues steamrollering of the current English champions in a Manchester derby massacre. Manuel Pellegrini’s squad are fusing positively at a quickening rate. City`s fixture list is certainly obliging enough right now to satisfy football cravings with 7 games in 21 days and The Etihad is likely to witness a heavily rotated side take the field against Wigan, who themselves will have to rotate a team involved in European competition whilst immersed in the Championship’s mid table. However, for everyone connected with Manchester City, revenge is uppermost in Blue minds following the debacle of Saturday 11th May where City’s historic FA Cup defeat to Wigan was engulfed by a backdrop of bitter infighting and subterfuge. Owen Coyle’s team will arrive to a stadium basking in a contended atmosphere at the other end of the spectrum. Should City’s team maintain the frightening momentum that demolished the rags, they won’t have a prayer.
City 4 Wigan 0
Next Fixtures:
all times East Manchester BST
Sa 28 Sep 15h00 Aston Villa, Villa Park PL
We 02 Oct Bayern Munich, The Etihad, CLGS2
Sa 05 Oct 12h45 Everton, The Etihad PL
Sa 19 Oct 17h30 West Ham, Upton Park PL
We 23 Oct 17h00 CSKA Moscow, Arena Khimki CLGS3
Su 27 Oct 16h00 Chelsea, Stamford Bridge PL
Sa 02 Nov 15h00 GMT Norwich City, The Etihad PL
Tu 05 Nov 17h00 GMT CSKA Moscow, The Etihad CLGS4
Su 10 Nov 1405 GMT Sunderland, Stadium of Light PL
Su 24 Nov 13h30 GMT Spurs, The Etihad PL
We 27 Nov 19h45 GMT Viktoria Plzen, The Etihad CLGS5
Tu 01 Dec 16h10 GMT Swansea City, The Etihad PL
We 04 Dec 20h00 GMT West Brom, The Hawthorns PL