Match Day Thread Manchester City V Leeds Utd Match Thread

Manchester City v Leeds Utd
Saturday 10th April 12-30 | Etihad Stadium

Leeds face top of the table Manchester City for a Saturday lunchtime kick off at the Etihad Stadium. City are 14 points clear of second place (the red side of Manchester) on 74 points, 32 points more than Leeds in 11th place.

Citeh Manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that he plans to rotate his squad this weekend as his team target four pieces of silverware this term.

Guardiola said “They are human beings, they are not machines,” said Guardiola over his squad rotation. “I know the players, some of them are upset all the time because they want to play every day but this is not possible. “To compete in all competitions in this year without spectators, in the shortest competition ever, (if) you don’t rotate you don’t compete in all competitions and you will not be in the position we are in now.

“Of course they could play, they have an incredible mentality but they need rest. UEFA and FIFA killed the players because it’s too much. We haven’t had one midweek off since we started, not even one. “There is no player who can sustain (this), not just physically but mentally to be ready every day to compete against opponents to win the game. It’s impossible.

“I rotate I’m a genius, ‘well done Pep’ but when we lose and I rotate people say ‘why rotate? You have to play the players like normal’. But it’s unsustainable. “The next game we are going to play fresh legs and against Leeds, more than ever, fresh legs.”

Leeds have no fresh injury worries but Jack Harrison is obviously not allowed to play against his parent club. It is expected that Helder Costa will start his tenth game of the season on the left wing.

Stuart Dallas is expected to start at left back as he offers more resistance in defence than Alioski.

Bielsa has the luxury of having centre backs Struijk, Llorente, Cooper and Koch fully fit.

Manchester City have no fresh injury concerns following their 2-1 midweek win against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Quarter final first leg.

 

Citeh rotating is a little different to any other team, who else can have £500m worth of player sitting on the bench, whilst have another £500m worth on the pitch

 

This is a game we'll either be heavily beaten or we'll give a good account of ourselves and lose by the odd goal or maybe sneak a draw. We've nothing to lose, more or less safe, so why not go for it.

 

I'm going for 4-1......but can't decide which way .......lord bamf to notch but will it be 1 or more!!!!!

 

Tough one this, we played them at the right time if there is a right time to play them earlier in the season.

I'm fearful of this one.

 

Although maybe they'll have their eyes on the other competition because they won't or shouldn't lose the League.

 

But then again maybe they played us at the right time we were just getting acclimatised to the PL and Llorente, who's turning out to be our best defender for years, was out injured.

 

We have nothing to lose except our sanity. As long as we give them a game again i am happy. It's man shyted i don't want to lose to. I have quite a few mates who support them.

 

We have nothing to lose except our sanity. As long as we give them a game again i am happy. It's man shyted i don't want to lose to. I have quite a few mates who support them.

 

Good morning fellow hopefuls for saturday
Just as long as we give a good account of ourselves, as i fear that is the most we can hope for, out of this game. my prediction sadly, 2-1 to 3-1 city

 

We'll get hammered.

Agree with Wakey. We need to target the scum game. We were unlucky to lose 6-2 to them earlier in the season. We probably just about came second best but it could and should have been 14-12. I don't want another defeat to a bang average scum team. How they are second I will never know.

I'd be happy to lose every other game this season if it meant we hammered the scum.

 

Still with all the talk of cities squad rotation i guess we might be lucky in that respect , they might have to play a second choice striker someone like Aguero ffs

 

What will be will be
As some have said "As long as we give a good account of ourselves" that's what's important and at the end of the day you never know your luck in a big city, and Manchester is a big city I believe

 

This is a game between giants of European football fielding a team of very expensive players, against a team from the Championship. Would make a great film and it could have 2 endings. A box office game with the little guy winning in the end, or a defeat for the small guy who toils away chasing shadows. I reckon it will be somewhere in between because Bielsa will not let his players roll over, so will put up a good account but still could be slaughtered

 

Morning all. Of course we will give a good account of ourselves, thats the nature of the team. If they beat us good luck to them but they will know they have been in a game.

 

its crowds i reckon i mean look at victim pool.they cannot play without supporters behind them.west ham are doing well and playing for each other.we can get something if we try.

 

Some posts are just so good ....

 

Us.

Ok, I might be over inflating a couple of our players values