Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has agreed with Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini that City have an unfair festive fixture schedule. City faced Sunderland on Sunday and host Liverpool 48 hours later, while the Reds last played on Friday night. "There has to be a bit of common sense, and a game on the first and third [of January] is a bit unreasonable really," said Dalglish. "There has to be a reasonable amount of time for players to recover." He added: "I know people will say he has a massive squad and enough to field two teams but you have to take the players into consideration because they are the ones who are the main attraction. "But I think television has been massively helpful to many people in the Premier League so we cannot cut off the hand that feeds us." Mancini made six changes for the trip to Sunderland, leaving both David Silva and Sergio Aguero on the bench, and is expecting to make a similar number for the visit of Liverpool. "I changed six or seven players because I trust all my players, and also if I change six, seven players, they know what they should do on the pitch," said the City boss. FESTIVE FIXTURES Continue reading the main story Manchester City 0-0 v West Brom (a) Boxing Day 0-1 v Sunderland (a) 1 Jan v Liverpool (h) 3 Jan Manchester United 5-0 v Wigan (h) Boxing Day 2-3 v Blackburn (h) 31 Dec v Newcastle (a) 4 Jan Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 v Norwich (a) 27 Dec 1-1 v Swansea (a) 31 Dec v West Brom (h) 3 Jan Arsenal 1-1 v Wolves (h) 27 Dec 1-0 v QPR (h) 31 Dec v Fulham (a) 2 Jan "Because we play two games in 48 hours, it's impossible to play the same players." But despite the changes to the Premier League leaders' line-up, Dalglish does not expect his side's task to be any easier. "We will go and play whichever 11 they put on the pitch and it doesn't matter how much they cost. "They are certainly a really difficult side to play against and we have our work cut out. "They are a fantastic side but so are we, so we are not going to go there and be scared," added the Scot. Liverpool, fifth in the table, go into the game with four points from their festive fixtures, having drawn with Blackburn and beaten Newcastle, while City have taken just one point, being held to a goalless draw at West Brom before suffering a shock defeat at Sunderland. "I thought we threw three important points out of the window [at Sunderland]," said Mancini. "But now it is finished and we can do nothing. We need to think positively for the next game and for the future. "We have 45 points and we have scored 53 goals, and I think we need another 45 points in the second half." Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16385052.stm
Kenny said he has no issues with the number of games over xmas in fairness but 2 days break is harsh for any team, even I think this game should be getting played on Wednesday........and that's nothing to do with the fact I've just found out I've got to work away tomorrow so can't go now....had to give my ticket up
Hope we can take advantage of our 2 days extra preparation and recuperation. Take no prisoners reds!!!
Definately unreasonable! I know it happens to most teams during the season but surely it is unreasonable when you consider the opposition. I mean just imagine that this was Man City vs Man Utd and one team had back up 48 hrs later while the other had double the time! Its a f@cking farce and its just another way little advantages can be given to some teams over others throughout a season(advantages that possibly go unnoticed)! Having said that lets hope it helps us!!!!!!!!
since we played on friday and man city played on saturday,i really hope we can go and beat them.we have the team to do it ,so why not!!!
Definitely should go for the 3 points in this one, Bellamy, Maxi, and Carroll up front for me, maybe even a return for Captain Fantastic? Shame that by winning we may be giving the title to Utd, but hopefully they **** up again. I'd rather focus on our team and win after all.
good that suarez is able to play,but i get the thinking if carroll played some more games he and gerrard might click,i mean he nearly got on the end of some of gerrards crosses on friday.
Yeah I think if anyone can get the best out of Carrol and give him the kind of service that suits him it will be Gerrard! In thirty minutes he gave Carrol some fantastic opportunities, I think Gerrard in some ways thinks like a manager and works out the players strengths and then gives the service to compliment!
Looking forward to the game,as for the line up. I would start with Suarez and bring Carroll and Stevie on with 20or 30 min to play.Like mentioned Stevie will play to Andy's game style and we might start seeing a different Andy, a few goals and he will have the confidence then,because that is all the lad is lacking at the moment IMO
Hi all! I think kennys main point is more about it being unreasonable on city... I'm just annoyed they took the sunderland game as the one to rest lad for and not us seeing as now we play thier best 11... I mean they that scared over 2 legs they'd risk their league campagin for a semi v us in the carling cup... that nobody rates once they are out of it yet always want to win? hint hint utd fans who know full well ferguson want sthe record in this one too..
Keeping an eye on United...as always!!! focussing on your team is the right thing to do ...although I cannot see the scousers getting anything from City this evening...
Some optimistic stuff above. We need to approach this one as the away team and play it very tight for 60 minutes and see where we are then. Not conceding and countering without much risk for the first hour, make them work hard and lets see if they get a bit tired after an hour cooincidence this happened to City eh?
Tbh I'd be happy with a draw, but with Man City drawing their last two games they'd be ready to go and could possibly kick our arse... having said that we normally play better against the better teams. Here's hoping for a Liverpool win!
