On the face of it, City will be going into Sunday’s clash with local title rivals United as favourites; unbeaten at home in 37 league games, joint first in the fewest goals conceded column, only letting in 6 on their own turf. United conceded half of that in 30 mins away at Reading last weekend. All the more reason for a silver lining, after their abysmal Champions League campaign finally came to an end, right?
You would have to be a fool to think that United are favourites for this game and yet whilst there is ample reason for optimism amongst the blue half of Manchester, a defeat would certainly move Mancini’s neck ever closer to the axe that seems to be getting sharper as the season progresses.
A six point gap at the top of the league just before the time of year United famously ‘kick on’ and find their consistency, on top of the poorest Champions League campaign by any English team in the competition’s history and Mancini may regret not taking up the job offer he got from Monaco a year a go.
Taking everything into account, this game will need an early goal from either side or else it may well be as dull as a U2 gig without The Edge’s special guitar pedal’s. Both teams would take a draw, although City fans will be wanting Tevez and co to go for the jugular. But, based on previous performances, Mancini isn’t a man to take many risks. A drab 0-0 with Chelsea, the substitution of Aguero for Tevez against Everton, who was City’s best attacking threat by a mile, and a lacklustre opening hour against Wigan, go to show that City don’t take the game by the scruff of the neck.
United, however, may well offer up their neck for the scruffing, as there have been 2.5 goals scored in 12 of the last 14 games they have played in. The fact Vidic will be out, but Smalling and Jones back in, is good and bad news for City, as they may not have Jonny Evans to depend on gifting them a goal, or getting himself sent off.
You have to feel that unless United do something in this game, nothing will happen, as City have been content with going through the motions all too often this season. This is one the reasons for their woeful European downfall. Ferguson is a shrewd manager and will know that his defence will need to play better than they did during the first half against Reading last weekend if they wish to get anything out of the game. A 4-5-1 with Rooney in midfield helping out Van Persie when he can, will no doubt be the basic tactic United look to use.
Any sane person would expect Tevez and Aguero to start on Sunday but Mancini has used 4 different combinations of strikers in 5 games, so you’d be better off asking Paul the Octopuss for his opinion.
A can of worms is going to be opened sooner or later in regards to Mancini’s management of City, with many issues to discuss during his successful reign. For instance: claiming two players would never play for the club again only to allow them back and arguably win him the title, questionable transfers this summer such as Javi Garcia, Scott Sinclair and a past it Maicon, the fact that Mancini was considering jumping ship until United handed them the initiative at the end of last season and this years Champions League campaign, which I know I’ve banged on about, but must come under serious scrutiny based on their ‘performances’.
Admittedly the transfers aren’t all down to Mancini and he had a tough group in Europe but with a billion pound investment and a title winning team, surely you’d expect them to at least win one game? A defeat against United will be the first in the league since Rooney’s overhead kick won it for the Red Devils nearly 2 years ago. A draw is seemingly the most logical outcome but when did logic have a place in Premier League or Mancunian football?
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