Man City v Liverpool (30th December)

The game comes 4 days after a rather lacklustre performance at a struggling Derby County, with the hero Gerrard winning the game in the 90th Minute.

City have won every single home game in the Premier League, but were recently beaten 2-0 by Spurs, yes thats right, the spuds.

Considering it is a tricky place to go, I think a draw would be an acceptable result. 1-1 draw is my prediction.

Mark Lawrenson's prediction will be posted here as soon as it is revealed (of course this means nothing but might be fun.)

Ex-red Mark Lawrenson: Man City 0-2 Liverpool

Anyone going?

I am. First trip to the COM stadium.  One of my relatives is a City fan so ssshhh I am in the home end.

Don't worry.  I won't touch any of them.

I am. First trip to the COM stadium.  One of my relatives is a City fan so ssshhh I am in the home end.

Don't worry.  I won't touch any of them.

Try and pick the red out of the blue in the home fans section. Just keep quite if we score.... anyway, i'm a bit troubled with the line-up, the peformance yesterday was far from good, and I think this may lead to many changes.

We have got to believe in RAFA and the mighty REDS to come away with 3points.City might not have lost at home this season but Portsmouth had not lost away till last week at Anfield.Lets go into the New Year with the belief that we can win every game.

I hope so much Riise don't play.

------------------------------Reina------------------------------------

Finnan-----------Carra-------Whoever fit---------------Arbeloa

--------------------Alonso---------Mascherano--------------------

------------------------Gerrard---------------------------------------

Yossi/Babel--------------------------------------------Harry/Babel

--------------------------------Kuyt--------------------------------

Nah obviously Torres! Grin

Showing them too much respect going for a 4-5-1 IMO. I would go with your lineup apart from replace Alonso with Kuyt & play 4-4-2. Big question is if both Agger & Hyypia are still out what option do we go with? Personally I'd go with Arbeloa & play Aurelio on the left, much as I do rate Hobbs I'd like to see him get a few more games under his belt against smaller clubs first.

Like the rest of the season's fixtures now - a must win match.

Maybe yesterday's game was a turning point for us,
How many times do we slip up, and so do the others ?, I would say a lot.
So to actually get a last gasp winner and take 2 points (effectively) off Arsenal and Chelsea is a big bonus.

A look at the fixtures
Tonight
Man City v Blackburn, 19:45      A City win would put us 5th. Albiet we have that game in hand.

Saturday

Birmingham v Fulham, 15:00
Chelsea v Newcastle, 15:00              Which Newcastle will turn up ? Chelsea have a lot of players out
Everton v Arsenal, 17:15                 A nice draw on the cards ?
Portsmouth v Middlesbrough, 15:00
Sunderland v Bolton, 15:00
Tottenham v Reading, 15:00
West Ham v Man Utd, 15:00             West Ham always seem to do well against Urinals
Wigan v Aston Villa, 15:00


So as I've said, a must win game for us, if we are to claw back some more points.
It would be a great festive period for us to bounce back after the Urinal defeat and close the gap on the big   3 above us.

I believe Mascherano will play along side Gerrard, with Alonso dropping to sub.
Kewell will repace Babel on the wing.
Up front Crouch and Torres.

My team would be:


-----------------------------Pepe---------------------------

----Finnan-----Carragher----Arbeloa---------Aurelio

---Benayoun----Mascherano---Gerrard-----Kewell

--------------------Crouch-----Torres--------------------

A 4-4-2 with Crouch and Torres up front, because IMO we need to use height up front, with Richards in the team, we need skillfull wingers, and a good backline that won't concede too many fouls. (or goals too) Aurelio and Finnan are good crosses and Finnan probably doesn't get the praise he deserves. Think it will be a 1-1 draw.

I think we should play:

 - - - - - - - - - - - - Reina - - - - - - - - - - -

Finnan- - -Carragher- - - -Hyypia- - -Arbeloa

Benayoun - Mascherano - - Gerrard -  Babel

- - - - - - - Voronin - - - Torres - - - - - - - -

Even though Voronin isn't the greatest, he preforms rather well with Torres.

Crouch is still suspended he's only missed 2 games so the City game makes it 3.

we should play like this:
-----------------------------------------Reina-----------------------------------------
Finnan---------------------Carra-------------------Hyypia/Agger--------Arbeloa
---------------------------Mash.----------------Alonso------------------------------
Benayoun-----------------------------------------------------------------Kewell
---------------------------------------Gerrard d king------------------------------
---------------------------------------Torres----------------------------------------

we will win 2-1 ( double torres ) & bring on babel in about 65 mins For either kewell or benayoun.

Crouch is still suspended he's only missed 2 games so the City game makes it 3.

OK I would play Babel then, because he has pace. And we will need it against a confident side.

Should be a good game i dont expect us to win by many maybe a 2-1 or a 1-0 as long as we win i dont really care.

Man City 2-2 Blackburn

Man City have just failed to win at home in the league for the first time, and here is something for you! The home fans were booing!

Petrov's a good player, but he's not world class. He looked good tonight cos Blackburn had a sh*t right back, Kivanishvili  or whatever the F**k his name is. Up against Finnan or Arbeloa I doubt he'll look so good.

Not planning on a lurch off topic but unbelieveable that Man City fans would boo.  What I would give for 9 wins and a draw as our home form!

If they lose to us it will be chants of 'Sven out'.

Makes Newcastle's fans look reasonable, doesn't it?

Apparently they were booing at the ref.

Apparently they were booing at the ref.

We'll let them off.  We were about to start calling them a bunch of bitter blue bas**rds.  Looks like there's still only one set of those.

All the city fans I know reckon they're going to turn us over on sunday. Can't be having them going on to me, they're nearly as bad as my scum mates!

I am. First trip to the COM stadium.  One of my relatives is a City fan so ssshhh I am in the home end.

Don't worry.  I won't touch any of them.

I think I'm going in the home end too JD!

City of manchester stadium is a difficult stadium