Swansea v Manchester City - preview (+ Streams)

TEAM NEWS

Swansea are without winger Nathan Dyer, who begins a three-match ban for his sending off against Wigan, so Wayne Routledge is set to deputise on Sunday.

Ashley Williams should play despite a stomach bug, but Andrea Orlandi is not ready to return from injury.

Manchester City will be without Vincent Kompany due to the calf injury he suffered against Sporting Lisbon.

Micah Richards and Joleon Lescott hope to be passed fit, but Pablo Zabaleta is definitely out.

MATCH PREVIEW

It's not a good time for Manchester City to be without their captain Vincent Kompany. He's set to miss this trip and Thursday's return Europa League tie with Sporting Lisbon, when City will have to come from behind.

Defeat in Portugal in the first leg followed a somewhat laboured victory over Bolton. With rivals Manchester United having the easier looking title-run in, some critics are predicting the leaders will falter, starting with a banana skin slip-up at the Liberty Stadium where Arsenal have been beaten and Chelsea held.

Kompany has been outstanding and, if Joleon Lescott is also missing, their hopes of keeping a fifth league clean sheet in a row in the top flight for the first time since April 1915 could be dashed.

Swansea may have failed to score on 11 occasions this season (the joint highest tally in the division) but Scott Sinclair's pace and Danny Graham's power can trouble City, although the suspended Nathan Dyer will be badly missed by the home side.

On the opening day of the season, when they were thumped 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium, it was difficult to see how Brendan Rodgers' brand of open attacking football could keep them in the Premier League. But they've learned lessons quickly and just one more victory could be enough to see them safe. That would be some achievement by one of the brightest coaches around.

Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko are all likely to finish with more than 20 goals this season. Aguero, Kompany, Joe Hart, David Silva and Yaya Toure would all make excellent candidates for the Footballer of the Year award.

It's a daunting prospect for Swansea, who won't sacrifice their attractive style for defensive pragmatism. That should make it open and entertaining but it's a game Roberto Mancini's side have to win.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17249294

 

I'm genuinely worried about this game, have a bad feeling about it...

 

lets hope your players have as well , should be good one though ,We may not get the win but we'll definatley compete

 

early goal, ballotelli will get sent off, late goal 2-0

 

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Swansea City FC v Manchester City

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Most Swans fans, me included, have a good feeling about this one. We have been impressive at home against the better teams and Man City losing Kompany could tell. Routledge has done well when he's played out wide deputising for Dyer or Sinclair so no problem there.

We've learned so much since that 4-0 loss and although it'll be our toughest test at home to date I think we'll win it 2-1.

Safe travels to City fans.

 

Fancy us to get a result tomorrow, will be very tough but just got a feeling we'll get a win.

Oh one thing, can you make sure you win the title, can't stand your neighbours. Good luck city, not tomorrow mind!!

 

I hope your manager feels the same and goes for the win, we've had too many games lately where the opposing team parks the bus and its like watching paint dry, its a big game for us too after the pathetic show we put on against Sporting.

I like Haydn above will be feeling a little nervous before kick off.

 

If Swansea attack us and go for it from the off they're going to get beaten. If you want to beat us playing an open game is not the way to do it. Yaya and Silva especially are going to cause you serious problems if you leave gaps.

Everton, for example, weren't the greatest to watch in the game at the end of January but they got their tactics spot on. Keep us out and take the chance when it comes. Blackburn and Stoke went too defensive and watching those games, it was just waiting for City to score you knew it was only a matter of time.

In my opinion, teams who can't compete with us in quality need to get their tactics right or you're beaten before the game starts. Play defensively, and look to capitalise on a chance or two. Parking the bus completely won't work as we'll end up with 80 odd % possession and a comfortable win, and going all out attack will only leave you in trouble on the counter.

City team for me has to include Balotelli, and NOT Dzeko after his display on Thursday. I'd leave Barry out too, he was crap the other day as well and Pizarro deserves another game IMO. Team I hope for:

Hart

Richards
Lescott
Kolo
Clichy

Yaya
Pizarro
Nasri
Silva

Balotelli
Aguero

 

Lads, we don't have a bus to park, so you need not worry.

We will try and play our normal patient passing football, might go backwards, side ways etc as this is the only way we know.

Looking forward to this one.

 

I think this is going to be a good game to watch for both us and neutrals as we play the same passing game.

 

Come on Swansea.

 

Ok reality check here. Where as I think we'll put up a good show and give City a better game this time I can't see us winning. As the saying goes a good big one should always beat a good little one. It's one of the glamour fixtures and our season doesn't come down to results against the likes of the Manchester clubs. So for me a gallant 2-0 defeat.

Would also like to add that it's refreshing to see that the City fans on here seem to be a decent bunch too. Good luck after today lads though I don't think you'll need it I think City will be champions.

 

There are only five of us so we cannot afford to fall out with anyone.

 

Not even your neighbours from Milton Keynes, Bournemouth etc etc (Utd of course) ?

 

Even though Man City should be winning this game easy with their plethora of superstars, I think Mancini needs to get his tactics right. Midweek, Man City's defence sat incredibly deep, and I think the aim was to stretch the pitch and control the game like Mancini always tries to do. It didn't work, but I don't think he'll learn from it, because he seems very stubborn with his tactics.

If Man City come to the Liberty expecting to be able to control the game with 5 in the midfield I think they will have a shock, but if they come here with two upfront, play fast and aggressive and not worry about possession stats, they will batter us. You just have to look at the reverse fixture where Aguero came on at 60 minutes to change the shape to 442. We had kept the game competitive up until that point (1-0), but the pressure on our defence from strikers instead of midfielders made the difference. I know he won't pick two strikers, because he doesn't have the balls, so I am looking forward to a really tight game.

 

Mancini got it all wrong against Sporting i am sure he will not make the same mistakes today.

 

Leeeeon, Mancini nearly always plays 2 forwards. Aguero and Dzeko both started just on Thursday...and I think he'll play 2 again today.

 

"There are only five of us... ". Nice one FJH,but I didn't realise there were that many.

City are Champions elect,so even defeat today will not prevent that happening. I hope so,anyway,it's time for change.

 

Thats why i deleted the "Welcome to the Manchester City" thread it was getting embarrassing.