Kick off: 5.30 pm. Shown live on ESPN. Match officials: Referee: Martin Atkinson Assistants: S. Burt and P. Kirkup 4th official: Lee Mason Team news Saints welcome back Mayuka from the ACON. Shaw, Clyne and Ramirez have picked up knocks. Guly and Fonte out. Lallana should return to the starting XI Manchester City welcome back Yaya and Kolo Toure from the ACON. Kompany out injured so Lescott likely to partner Nastasic at the back. Last meeting: A narrow 3-2 defeat for Saints at the Etihad on the opening day of the season. Carlos Tevez opened the scoring before David Silva saw his tame penalty saved by Kelvin Davis. And then came a shock for the champions. First Lambert and then Steven Davis scored after coming off the bench to see Saints take the lead with 20 minutes to go. However Dzeko soon scored and then Nasri spared the champions blushes with a late winner. My prediction: It's hard to see Saints picking up all 3 points but you never know. I'll go for a 2-2 draw.
The reason why I had some doubt was because the Arsenal home match, which was an evening kick off, was shown on sky.
City will come out flat owing to our high pressing, and we'll open the scoring before the 20th minute, much to the shock of everyone who forgets that we always score first against good opposition. City will then reel off a couple goals, and we'll make a go of it in the second half, ultimately coming up short. 2-1, Tevez with a brace, Lallana to bag his first since returning.
With both teams playing the pressing game, the midfield is going to be a mess! No space & no time - just hope they make more mistakes than us
Whilst not expecting a win, we gave United a run for their money, so see no reason not to have some hope. Other teams have had unexpected results, so this could be ours.
-------------Boruc--------------- -Clyne-Yoshida-Hooiveld-Fox --------Cork--Schneiderlin----- --Davis----------------lallana- -------------Ramirez------------ -------------Rodriguez----------- Bring Puncheon and Lambert on if we need goals. I think Clyne and Ramirez will be fit, with Shaw I am less confident. He has been huge for us and I don't rate Fox although he should be able to do a job, his corners and freekicks will be handy as we have been poor at that lately. I think Lambert has probably been our most important player this season not only with his goals but his hold up play and winning so many headers which was pivotal under Adkins. I feel now that under Pochettino when we don't have the ball Lambert is a hindrance to the way we press and generally play without the ball. And so I have gone with him on the bench to start off with so we can press effectively for the first 60 and then we can bring him on to hopefully get us a goal, just as Adkins did in our first game. I get the feeling that Lambert isn't Pochettino's kind of player and pochettino will look to replace him in the summer, moving forward this is probably what we have to do, although I think that Lambert together with Schneiderlin has been our best player this season. If Rodriguez can work the channels, get into dangerous positions and score a goal Saturday we might see a changing of the guards.
Won't be there on Saturday, so the TV news is welcome. Hour later here, so definitely drink o clock by Kick Off. Can those players withdrawn from international duty still play? Sadly, I agree about Rickie. He has been superb this season, but the new order may not accommodate him. Saw the United and Wigan games and thought Jay was excellent. I'm sure, though, that Rickie will still have a significant impact for us this year.
That will certainly be a big debate at the end of this season. As for me, I can't go to this one, I've got local league footy and can't make kick off in time, I've already surrendered my season ticket. Which of course means my game will be rained off and I'll be twiddling my thumbs.
Not to mention Yaya Toure, who I want to have a bad day more than any of the players you have listed.
Well I'm glad that we have a sensible manager in who will use the players he has available in the best possible way. That includes, I am sure, playing Rickie from the start, with Rodriguez, Lallana, and either Puncheon or Ramirez interchanging behind him. Davis to come on at half time or if we need to shore up. Defence picks itself, but Forren might get a cameo at some stage. Rickie is nearly 31 and won't go on forever at this level, but he has got better and better in the four years we have had him. He shows no sign of any tailing off in form and to get his 100th goal for us against the current Champions would be great for us and for him. I agree that this year might be his last season with us as the number one striker but I am sure he will still have a role as an attacking midfielder/playmaker/free kick and penalty taker. You don't just throw players of his quality and experience and sheer footballing intelligence on the scrapheap.
