Following the disappointment of defeat to Everton, the need to start the Christmas period with a win at Newcastle is all the more pressing. It’s unlikely to be easy with Alan Pardew having had a winning start by beating Liverpool last weekend.
The St James’ Park crowd will no doubt add to the pressure on City with a hostile reception for Nigel de Jong following the media fuelled frenzy after his leg-break tackle on Hatem Ben Arfa.
Continue Reading →So much for a merry Christmas and a happy first birthday for Roberto Mancini. The City manager took a well aimed kick at the Lucozade bottles after Everton’s second to sum up another night of frustration against the Toffees.
Rather than sitting top of the league, such a game brings back fears of whether we will finish above one of last season’s top four to secure a Champions League place. We sit third, but with our rivals now having games in hand, our position is less convincing.
It all began so brightly with the news that Carlos Tevez had withdrawn his transfer request and was committed to the club, following a meeting with Khaldoon al Mubarak. The captain was once again able to lead the team out to a warm reception from the crowd.
Continue Reading →Hart – After conceding the two early goals Joe was a virtual spectator, not having to deal with even a corner. 6
Zabaleta – In the wars throughout, and still didn’t shirk a challenge. Needed to offer a little more invention when going forward once we were chasing the game. 6
Continue Reading →While many eyes will be focussed on whether Carlos Tevez leads out the City team tonight, the real importance lies in obtaining a victory that will take City to the top of the league at Christmas for the first time since 1929.
This may mean little given the games in hand of other sides, but it would be a nice psychological boost following the furore about Tevez. It also makes City appear a more attractive option as we go into the last transfer window before Financial Fair Play kicks in. It’s not long till January and the attendance of Khaldoon Al Mubarak tonight may be pertinent to that.
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