Man City v Blackburn Preview

Posted Saturday, January 09, 2010 by BBC.com

Barclays Premier League
Venue: City of Manchester Stadium Date: Monday, 11 January 2009
Kick-off: 2000 GMT
Coverage: Live on ESPN, BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio

I'm going to go for a comfortable City win here. City have real competition for places, they're already making moves in the transfer market - though I'm not sure how much impact Patrick Vieira will have for them - and they look a team on a mission.

Blackburn, on the other hand, are going through an inconsistent spell and that is exactly what they don't need as they travel to a City side that have been excellent at home all season.

Verdict: 3-0

TEAM NEWS

Manchester City are set to be without Stephen Ireland, Nedum Onuoha, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joleon Lescott, Michael Johnson and Wayne Bridge.

Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor are away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, but Patrick Vieira could make his debut if he completes his move from Inter.

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce only has doubts over Vince Grella (thigh) after Brett Emerton was passed fit.

El-Hadji Diouf is suspended following his sending off against Aston Villa.

Man City

Suspended: None Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Adebayor & Toure (both Africa Cup of Nations), Bridge (knee), Ireland (hamstring), Johnson and Lescott (both knee), Onuoha (calf), Shaun Wright-Phillips (ankle)

Blackburn

Suspended: Diouf (2 games) Doubtful: Grella (thigh)

Injured: None

MATCH PREVIEW

Both sides could have gone into this game celebrating putting one foot in the final of the Carling Cup, but their respective midweek semi-final first legs both fell foul of the weather.

City will arguably be the most aggrieved having missed out on the chance to take advantage of bitter rivals Manchester United's run of bad form that culminated in their defeat to Leeds last Sunday.

That said, City are absolutely flying under the stewardship of Roberto Mancini who has taken to life in Manchester with the utmost of ease.

For Rovers, the outlook is not so rosy and it is now eight matches since they last won in the league, leaving manager Sam Allardyce describing January as a "make or break" month.

They scored a paltry four goals in those eight matches, so there are no prizes for guessing what position Big Sam will be looking to strengthen before the transfer window snaps shut, although the purse strings are tight at Ewood Park.

The days of Jack Walker's lavish spending are long gone and they can now only look on in envy as City lord it as the new fat cats of the Premier League.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

• Man City won the meeting between the two sides on the opening day of this season 2-0 thanks to goals from debutant Emmanuel Adebayor and Stephen Ireland.

• Six of the last nine meetings between the sides in Manchester have been drawn.

• The overall record is: Man City 39 wins, Blackburn 50 wins and there have 27 draws.

Man City

• Man City have won only once in six north-west derbies in the Premier League this season with their only victory coming against Blackburn.

• City have scored six goals from deflected shots, more than any other side.

• Striker Carlos Tevez has scored seven goals in his last six Premier League matches.

Blackburn

• Blackburn have earned 10 points from losing positions this season, a feat only bettered by Chelsea who have come back to gain 14.

• Rovers are aiming to score in a third consecutive Premier League match, something they have only managed to do once so far this season.

• Just 17% of the goals Blackburn have conceded have come from set pieces, the lowest proportion in the Premier League.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Man City

Tevez: 12 goals (9 league); Adebayor and Bellamy: 6 goals
(6 league)

Blackburn

Dunn: 6 goals (5 league); McCarthy: 4 goals (1 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Chris Foy

Assistant referees: Trevor Massey & Bob Pollock

Fourth official: Mark Clattenburg

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Man City (W3-0 v Wolves, a): Given; Richards, Toure, Kompany, Zabaleta, Ireland (Garrido 56), de Jong, Barry, Petrov (Robinho 86), Bellamy, Tevez (Sylvinho 89). Subs not used: Taylor, Vidal, Weiss, Boyata.

Blackburn (D2-2 v Sunderland, h): Robinson; Chimbonda, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Hoilett (Diouf 74), Andrews, Nzonzi, Pedersen, Roberts (Kalinic 73), McCarthy (Di Santo 73). Subs not used: Brown, Jacobsen, Olsson, Salgado

MOST RECENT MEETING

Blackburn 0-2 Manchester City (15 August 2009)

Man City scorers: Adebayor 3, Ireland 90+1