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Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Referee: Michael Oliver
Kick-off: 8:30 PM (IST), Tuesday, 1st of January
Still within catching distance of Manchester United after a close call at Carrow road on the weekend, reigning champions Manchester City host a buoyant Stoke City at the Etihad. An early brace from Dzeko, and some nervy defending, contributed to their 4 – 3 escape against the Canaries, and kept them seven points behind the leaders, with 42 points from 20 games. They will, however, also have an eye over their shoulder where a resurgent Chelsea also overcame a tough fixture against Everton, and sit just 6 points off in third place.
Stoke, on the other hand, conceded more than 1 goal at home for the first time this season, and yet fought back to earn a point against the shaky defence of Southampton. Not having done too shabbily this season, they find themselves just 4 points behind the likes of Arsenal and Everton, with an outside chance of tasting European football next year.
Manchester City: L W W L W
Having been reduced to 10 men with the sending off of Nasri, who has subsequently received a 3-match suspension, City played a good second half to keep Norwich from gaining even a single point in front of their fans. It seemed as if the blues from their 1 – 0 defeat to Sunderland in the previous fixture would spill over to their weekend fixture, but one can truly say that City have learned to play like champions, and grind out those hard results that their local rivals do so well. Thus, Mancini’s men ended their triumphant year on a high, and will be hoping to begin the new one on a similar note, with a win over the resilient Potters.
Stoke City: D D D W D
The last couple of games have given Stoke’s attacking figures a healthy boost, with three goals in each, without which they were joint lowest on the tally for number of goals scored by a team this season. However, it has also pushed their defensive record slightly lower, as they have conceded four goals in those very games. What is encouraging for the Potters though is that they have been more often than not successful in enforcing their brand of physical football on oppositions this season, and are currently on a ten match unbeaten run. They managed to eke out a 1 – 1 draw when Man City visited them earlier this season, and will be hoping for something similar, instead of the 3 – 0 defeats they have experienced on their last two visits.
Manchester City: Jack Rodwell, Micah Richards, Maicon, Aleksandar Kolarov, Mario Balotelli, Samir Nasri.
Sergio Aguero
A goal and an assist against the Canaries marked a rare good game for the Argentine this season, where he has been eclipsed by Dzeko and Tevez. Yet, Mancini’s trust in the Argentinian seems to be paying off as he looks sharper with every passing game, and could be at his best for the business end of the season. With Shawcross returning from suspension, and being excellent in his defensive partnership with Huth, it will take something special from Aguero to break through.
Kenwyne Jones
3 goals and an assist in his last four games mean that the man from Trinidad and Tobago is in fine form for the Potters, in what has often been a lonely, and thankless position up front. Jones has athleticism and power in equal measure, and will prove to be a handful for the City defence, particularly if Walters joins him in support. Against a City defence which has kept just one clean sheet in the last seven games, and conceded three against Norwich, one can except Jones to continue his good showing.
A draw, at least statistically. Manchester City have not been beaten at home in 37 out of their last 38 matches, while Stoke are carrying a ten match unbeaten streak themselves. Stoke also boast of the best defensive record in the league currently, but also have the third worst attacking record. Thus, one can expect Tony Pulis’ men to pull up their socks, and play a tight game, meaning that it will probably be a low scoring affair.
