Team News Manchester City have Mario Balotelli and Gareth Barry back from suspension after they both sat out the League Cup victory at Arsenal. Aleksandar Kolarov faces a fitness test, having been forced off at the Emirates with a knock. Norwich are boosted by the return from injury of central defenders Zak Whitbread and Daniel Ayala. On-loan Manchester United defender Ritchie de Laet (back) is doubtful, while Elliott Ward is still sidelined. MATCH PREVIEW The Premier League leaders will hope to strengthen their grip on top spot this weekend against newly-promoted Norwich City after successfully negotiating their tricky Carling Cup quarter-final at Arsenal on Tuesday night. Manager Roberto Mancini was clearly unhappy at having to send a team out 48 hours after last Sunday's draw at Anfield, but the 11 he sent out showed to me that City have the real depth in their squad to last the distance this season. So much so, that even a player like Wayne Bridge can't get a game in the Carling Cup these days, forced to settle for a place on the bench. I was commentating on the match at the Emirates for Five Live and couldn't help but be impressed with back-up goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, who made a couple of top-class saves in keeping City's first clean sheet for nearly a month, but particularly in Edin Dzeko. I think Dzeko's really starting to look like the international player City thought they were buying last season who scored all those goals for Wolfsburg in Germany. His movement was good and he just looked sharper, having clearly adapted to the demands and style of the English game. City are only the fourth team to remain unbeaten through the first 13 games of the season since the inception of the Premier League. Arsenal have done it twice before, Manchester United and Liverpool once. It was Liverpool who nearly brought City's run to an end last week at Anfield when only a flying save from Joe Hart late on preserved a point for Mancini's side, reduced to 10 men after the sending off of Mario Balotelli. Last week's game was the first in the league this season in which City had failed to score more than one goal. Norwich City ended a four-match winless streak last weekend with a 2-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers and are under no illusions as to how tough a task this game will be. They did have their moments, though, away to Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool (where they salvaged a one-all draw) earlier this season and manager Paul Lambert has called on his players to again show "no fear" as they face the leaders. Sixteen points from the first 13 games is a solid return and leaves Norwich halfway up the table in 10th place. Most of their early-season success has come at Carrow Road though, with just one win on the road at Bolton in the middle of September. In stark contrast, Manchester City have won all six of their home games, scoring 19 and conceding only three. Norwich have only ever won twice away to Manchester City in the league in 25 attempts over the years and have been beaten on each of their last three visits since winning 2-1 at Maine Road 14 years ago in September 1997. They look capable of giving Manchester City a good game, but if any of Norwich's recent defensive lapses occur again here they'll be punished. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head Manchester City have won 17 of their previous 25 home league matches against Norwich, who have claimed just two wins during this time. It is 73 years ago this month since the first league encounter between the sides. Manchester City ran out 4-1 home winners that day. Man City Manchester City are the fourth club - following Arsenal (twice), Manchester United and Liverpool - to remain unbeaten in the opening 13 Premier League matches of a season. The Arsenal team of 2003/04 and Manchester United last season went on to claim the title. Samir Nasri has created a scoring chance for team-mates more regularly than any other Premier League player - every 24.4 minutes. City have scored in 19 straight league games but have also now conceded in their last six - their longest run without a clean sheet since a seven-game streak from November to December 2009. That run ended in Roberto Mancini's first Premier League game in charge on Boxing Day 2009. Norwich It is 14 games since their last top-flight victory in Manchester, a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford in August 1989. Norwich are looking for back-to-back wins for only the second time this season. A league-high 47% of Norwich's goals have come from crosses. Grant Holt is one goal short of 50 in the league for Norwich. He has 49 goals in 96 league matches for the club. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15901844.stm
This is just a copy and paste of Simon Brotherton on the BBC webpage Go for it, CS, show him a REAL matchday thread
Well Father J. That sounds like a day Where our lads should ease to a win, Especially if you In Manchester blue Could wait until 5 to begin But we´ll be there All ready to cheer Our goal, which we´re hoping to see, If when we attack You ALL turn your backs Then maybe we´ll get one for free.
Father_Jack - thanks for putting this up, we have our own match-day thread provider, but he is unable to post this time! Hoping for a good game of proper football, and also hoping for a bit of a miracle! Lambs to the slaughter, but we'll go down fighting
I`m surprised they don`t employ a top web designer from Silicone valley to do their match threads......
I didn't try to hide the fact as i posted the link at the bottom, its a million times better than anything i could come up with and i noticed no one had done one on your forum. (Canary-Dave has given the reason)
I didn't see the QPR match but you must have been well happy beating them 2 - 1 they played well when we met so obviously your team is not going to be easy to beat and is not going to roll over at ours.
Apologies for that. It's just that I'd seen it on the beeb earlier and recognised some of the phrases used. Here's an example of Canaries Soccer at his creative best (even though this particular one got a little 'out of control') http://www.not606.com/showthread.ph...esSoccer-Match-Center-for-SUPERHOOPZ-CANARIES Good luck tomorrow, you'll need it
Latest team news - Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini made ten changes for the midweek Carling Cup win at Arsenal and will almost certainly revert to a more regular line-up for today's Premier League clash with Norwich at The Etihad. City will need to assess Aleksandar Kolarov, who suffered a knock prior to the Arsenal game and played just over half an hour, while Gareth Barry and Mario Balotelli return from suspension. Norwich defender Ritchie de Laet is doubtful with a back problem but centre-half Zak Whitbread could return to the squad following a hamstring injury having played for the reserves. Dani Ayala is still recovering from a knee injury. Defender Elliott Ward has now been able to step up his rehabilitation from a knee ligament problem suffered in pre-season, but striker James Vaughan is still out. Manchester City Squad: Hart, Pantilimon, Richards, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Savic, K Toure, Kolarov, Clichy, Johnson, Milner, Y Toure, De Jong, Barry, Hargreaves, Nasri, Silva, Dzeko, Balotelli, Aguero. Norwich Squad: Ruddy, Tierney, Martin, De Laet, Barnett, Naughton, Crofts, Johnson, Hoolahan, Pilkington, Bennett, Morison, Rudd, Surman, Jackson, Holt, Wilbraham, Fox, Whitbread. http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/536146346?-1808 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- please log in to view this image Links for todays game - http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=134396&part=sports Streams will appear 1 hour before the start of the match. There are 23 stations announced to broadcast this match. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- City v Norwich City FC line-up Hart, Richards, Kompany, Kolo, Clichy, Yaya, Barry, Nasri, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Savic, De Jong, Milner, A. Johnson, Balotelli
