Stoke City v Manchester City

September 14, 2013 Britannia Stadium

3pm (UK)

Referee: M. Clattenburg‎

Manuel Pellegrini’s has not had the best of starts to his Manchester City career losing to Cardiff City and gathering six points in three games. This match against The Potters is particularly important for the former Malaga manager and considering City’s awful form against Stoke, a win would ensure some courtesy from the Etihad faithful. Since 2008 in five encounters with Stoke at Britannia stadium, the blue half of Manchester have got only four points to their name.

Stoke are also under a new manager this season with Mark Hughes at the helm and he would definitely try to prove a point against his former employers. The Stoke manager would like to have Charlie Adam in the side who did not feature for his National team Scotland in the midweek match due to a muscle spasm. Stephen Ireland may also make his debut for Stoke today with the former City player arriving at the club on transfer deadline day on a season long loan from Aston Villa. Stoke played an impressive passing game against West Ham and they would like to keep the momentum going in favour of them.

Team News

Manchester City have a lot of injury worries though with captain Kompany out of action with a groin injury and newcomer Martin Demichelis also a month away from fitness. Playmaker David Silva is also out with a thigh problem and Micah Richards’ hamstring is keeping him off the field.

City would certainly count on Alvaro Negredo to fire for them, especially from the aerial situations. They have had a change in tactics this season relying more on the aerial situations to pour in the goals and Negredo has been exploiting those brilliantly. Another new boy Stevan Jovetic who is yet to start a game is also alleged to start today.

With City’s defence looking weak and taking into account their jinx at Stoke’s home ground, a draw is most likely today, although a City win won’t surprise many.

Match Facts

Stoke City have not won back to back Barclays Premier League games at home since the end of November 2012.
Since the start of 2012-13, no side have kept more clean sheets in the Barclays Premier League than Manchester City (20).
Stephen Ireland’s best Premier League season (nine goals and nine assists for Man City in 2008-09) came in Mark Hughes’ full season in charge of the club.
Mark Hughes has lost three of four Premier League clashes with Manchester City since he was fired by the club (D1).
Manchester City have already scored three headed goals in the Premier League this season. Last season, they only managed six headers in total.
In fact, the 2011/12 Premier League Champions have had more headed shots (18) than any other team.
Stoke’s passing accuracy so far this season is 78.7%. Last season it was 70.2%, the worst in the Premier League.
Pablo Zabaleta has had one successful cross so far this season (from nine crosses or corners) and it results in Man City’s opener against Hull City.

Stats courtesy of Yahoosports

Possible starting lineups

Stoke City: Begovic; Huth, Cameron, Shawcross, Pieters; Wilson, Arnautovic, Etherington, Adam; Walters Jones
Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kolarov, Nastasic, Lescott; Fernandinho, Toure, Silva; Aguero, Negredo, Navas

Prediction: Stoke City 1-1 Manchester City

Blast from the Past

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4npNTMgcPM