Sunderland AFC Vs Manchester City Offical Match Thread

Sunderland AFC Vs Manchester City
Offical Match Thread

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Venue
Stadium of light

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Match Appointments
REFEREE: Mike Dean
Assistants: J Collin & I Hussin
4th Official: M Atkinson

Sunderland Team News

Sunderland are still waiting on news on the fitness of goalkeeper Keiren Westwood.

The 29-year-old Republic of Ireland international missed the Black Cats' League Cup triumph over Southampton in midweek with concussion.

Defender Wes Brown featured in that match and could make his first Premier League start in 22 months on Sunday.


Manchester City Team News

Man City manager Pellegrini will have to make do without captain Vincent Kompany for his side's trip to Sunderland.

The Belgium international centre-back is still struggling with a groin strain and will miss his team's Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light.

David Silva*, Fernandinho and Javi Garcia will also undergo late fitness tests to determine their availability for the fixture.

*David silva is out of Sundays game.

Poyet

“Of course, it is going to be totally different from Southampton on Sunday,” said Poyet.

“But we need to concentrate on us, learn quickly about the opposition and then try to play our game.

“I’m sure, because it’s happened already this year, that Man City have a few weaknesses.

“I hope I can find a few and try to take advantage.

“To win my first two home games is not bad at all – one against our biggest rivals and the other to make the cup quarter-finals.

“That’s not bad for a situation which looks terrible from the outside.

“So we need to believe we can win again against City.”


Pellegrini



Previous 10 Meetings

[table="width: 500, class: outer_border, align: center"]
[tr]
[td]Venue[/td]
[td]Played[/td]
[td]Sunderland Win[/td]
[td]Draw[/td]
[td]Man City Win[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]At Stadium of Light[/td]
[td]5[/td]
[td]3[/td]
[td]1[/td]
[td]1[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]At Etihad Stadium[/td]
[td]5[/td]
[td]0[/td]
[td]1[/td]
[td]4[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Total[/td]
[td]10[/td]
[td]3[/td]
[td]2[/td]
[td]5[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

What the 'Experts' say

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Lawrenson

Sunderland had a good win over Southampton in the Capital One Cup in midweek but I don't see Manchester City making a mess of another away game. They have got enough players in good form to see them through at the Stadium of Light.
While Vincent Kompany remains sidelined, City's centre-back pairing of Martin Demechelis and Nastasic does not inspire much confidence but the Black Cats do not have enough attacking power to hurt them.
I just think City have grown up a bit in the last few weeks. They have dealt with Joe Hart's loss of form and qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time.
Now they can concentrate on the Premier League and City boss Manuel Pellegrini will be asking his players to show him why they should be top of the table.
City have struggled on their travels so far but there can be no more excuses from their players or their manager.
Lawro's prediction: 0-2

Merson
This is not a happy hunting ground for Man City. They have lost 1-0 there in each of the last three seasons, but despite the stats I'm sure Sunderland aren't looking forward to this one. I'm sure they'd rather be playing Crystal Palace at home, put it that way. I think Man City will end that run because they are just playing too well at the moment.

I also think it will be impossible for them to stop Sergio Aguero. I seriously don't know how anybody can stop him at the moment. I think him and Alvaro Negredo are looking like a very good partnership, but they're not the best in the Premier League just yet. I'd still give that accolade to Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge all day long, but I might change my mind by the end of the season if they keep up their current form!

PAUL PREDICTS: 0-2

What the Phallus says
Merson and Lawrenson regularly felch each other and I'd always back us to pick up points at home, even though more often than not we don't. Man City have won only once away in the league this season and we are their bogey team at the SOL with them only picking up one win here in the last 5. All said I'd be happy with a point and will go 1-1.


Betting

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Links
http://www.soccer4you.info/live.html

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Really special fixture for me. The very first home game at the Stadium of light was my Dads first and last, we won 3-1. Tough game but they're beatable this season.

 

To follow to follow to follow

Another **** thread, sounds like the Wizard of Oz ............

 

You'll live.

 

Hope I don't endure yet another fruitless journey to the Stadium Of Light,generally the 1-0s have been through Sunderland working harder against a more talented side who just thought they needed to turn up and getting their just reward.
However I don't recall visiting with Sunderland being at such a low ebb since the year when you last went down,although perhaps a very good midweek cup win against Southampton and a pretty much no lose situation on Sunday will provide the spur needed to kick away from the drop zone.
No doubt Adam Johnson will be looking to show City what he can do but I feel he would be better served getting a proper look at himself in the mirror and realising he's simply wasting his career,a career that promised so much until his lifestyle choices intervened.He should've been looking forward to a World Cup

We play a lot differently under Pellegrini than Mancini,the main difference being a very high defensive line which is very attacking but fraught with danger for a defence that clearly hasn't come to grips with it and therein lies the problem if Poyet can instill a bit more solidity at the back for Sunderland we can always be picked off on the break,especially down our left side where Clichy is having a poor season coming to grips with it all.
Has Duncan Watmore had any game time yet,I've watched him since he was a young lad at my sons school and he always looked a good prospect

Think we will line up

Pantilimon
Zabaleta Demichellis Nastasic Clichy
Fernandinho Yaya
Nasri Aguero Silva
Negredo

 

Only joking mate, the thread is a credit to you ........ much better than the sack of **** I put up for the Hull game.

 

2 wins in the last 3 is a massive improvement tbh ......... Hull was just one of those games where it all went wrong from the OG to the keeper being decapitated.

Hopefully we can give you a game and entertain the Sunderland supporters with a nice 3-3 draw.

 

You're probably not bothered but I'm going to tell ya anyway.
I never thought you looked like a team under Mancini, more like random good players.
I understand your worry with the high line but now you look better organised to cope.

 

this is the first thing you see when you enter my house on your left :

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I thought Mancini was a poor tactician and motivator
Majority of City fans were all behind him,I was definitely in the minority,
Given what resources he was given I thought what he achieved is no more than Fat Sam would've done given identical circumstances

 

Didn't want to sound like a WUM and say what you did, I have said before on here about Mancini not being good at tactics with you lot.

 

I know you are fella, Sorry for the sharp reply, been uploading ebay **** while doing match thread stuff. So didn't have time to come back with something witty.

 

I've lost mine, well my two. Been waiting ages for one to come up on EBay. Very Special memories. Glad he got to see a league match there, we had hoped he'd see most of the season but he went downhill rapidly once chemotherapy started.

That's why I went with the Bricks for the match Banner.

 

You can have it mate, pm your address or pop round and pick it up, its my xmas present to you, no excuses

 

****ing legend.

 

Don't be daft fella it's framed on your wall. I couldn't accept it mate, it wouldn't be right. Thank you though mate You're one hell of a Don. I've lost mine from a party lifestyle, I should have looked after them no excuse. Keep yours in pride of place, I'll grab one when the opportunity arrises.

 

**** that, i want you to have it, i purchased it at a carboot, i have many pictures that can replace it

 

There are times when you can be a complete twat. Merciless.

There are times when you make me proud.

This is one of those proud moments.



Bri - Take it mate and give it a good home. I know him he means it.

 

You're a ****ing bloke and a half mate. What legend you are, I'm truly humbled.

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Its yours