If we can hold them through the first half while at the same time putting some pressure on their defence, and avoid going into a defensive shell in the last twenty minutes I think it could be a tight game. Shut down Da Silva and avoid goal keeping errors, and we could pull off a surprise. 1-1 possible but more likely a 2-1 loss though. Hope Brady and Ben Arfa get plenty of playing time...we need their creativity.
Not a must win game but a good performance would do a lot to improve the morale of the team, management and supporters who in the last few games have had to live with some disappointments. A good performance would include a win or draw, a close loss but not a tanking! (Stating the obvious its a sign of old age, I will be repeating myself next).
I can't see us not turning up after our recent results, I think the most likely result is that we play well and lose narrowly, like we did in almost all the games against top sides last season. We haven't been defending that badly (WBA aside as I wasn't there). We've just conceded goals for various reasons but a lack of centre forwards who can actually compete for the ball is a big one. Once Jelavic goes off we just have to park the bus cos it won't stay at the other end with Aluko or Ince on their own. I don't do predictions (and I find the "heart says, head says" ones particularly pointless) but expect a return to 352 for this one, a spirited City performance and the first goal to be important.
We always excel when Elmo has the better of his marker and gets down the wing to cross. Now we have Abel in the centre too then I believe we will get more goals this season. However, we are up against an exceptionally strong side in the current Premier League Champions and I will not expect Elmo to be a threat. Still some 'bonding' to do and I cannot see us doing that against Manchester City. I forecast a 3-0 defeat for us and we'd have to get very lucky to score against this mob. Some hard matches coming up but I still believe we have the makings of a very good side this season.
