Manchester City (H) 3:00pm Saturday 16th Sept (not on TV)
It's been fun while it lasted.
So far Moyes's cunning plan of allowing the opposition to have 65-75% possession has worked a treat but City will be the biggest test of just how good his tactics are.
As far as City goes they've carried on exactly where they left off last season with four wins in four games although they have conceded goals against Sheffield Utd and Fulham. Pep is expected back in the dugout after missing two games for back surgery and his starting XI has been pretty consistent with most changes enforced through injuries. 15 players have started and another six players have featured as substitutes although against Newcastle he didn't use any substitutes and against Sheffield Utd only one substitution was deemed necessary.
Obviously De Bruyne is out with Ake, Stones and Grealish also currently unavailable.
Best guess
Ederson
Walker Akanji Dias Gvardiol
Rodri Kovacic
Silva Alvarez Foden
Haaaland
Our only win over City at the London Stadium was in the League Cup 27 October 2021, 0-0, 5-3 on penalties. We've not beaten them in the league since 19 September 2015, 2-1 at the Etihad with goals from Victor Moses and Daifa Sakho. Our last league win at home was 25 October 2014, 2-1, Amalfitano and Sakho (again)
Sakho announced his retirement in July even though he was halfway through a 2 year contract with AS Nancy Lorraine in the French third tier. Last season he scored 7 in 21 appearances but had to quit due to pain from a back injury. He has a long history of back problems, dating back to an injury he suffered on international duty with Senegal back in November 2014, BFS was furious and accused the Senegalese medical team of mistreating it.
Hope he enjoys retirement and drives carefully
A draw would be nice but someone better be ready to take over.
So far Moyes's cunning plan of allowing the opposition to have 65-75% possession has worked a treat but City will be the biggest test of just how good his tactics are.
As far as City goes they've carried on exactly where they left off last season with four wins in four games although they have conceded goals against Sheffield Utd and Fulham. Pep is expected back in the dugout after missing two games for back surgery and his starting XI has been pretty consistent with most changes enforced through injuries. 15 players have started and another six players have featured as substitutes although against Newcastle he didn't use any substitutes and against Sheffield Utd only one substitution was deemed necessary.
Obviously De Bruyne is out with Ake, Stones and Grealish also currently unavailable.
Best guess
Ederson
Walker Akanji Dias Gvardiol
Rodri Kovacic
Silva Alvarez Foden
Haaaland
Our only win over City at the London Stadium was in the League Cup 27 October 2021, 0-0, 5-3 on penalties. We've not beaten them in the league since 19 September 2015, 2-1 at the Etihad with goals from Victor Moses and Daifa Sakho. Our last league win at home was 25 October 2014, 2-1, Amalfitano and Sakho (again)
Sakho announced his retirement in July even though he was halfway through a 2 year contract with AS Nancy Lorraine in the French third tier. Last season he scored 7 in 21 appearances but had to quit due to pain from a back injury. He has a long history of back problems, dating back to an injury he suffered on international duty with Senegal back in November 2014, BFS was furious and accused the Senegalese medical team of mistreating it.
Hope he enjoys retirement and drives carefully
A draw would be nice but someone better be ready to take over.
Comments
I am just happy to be going into the next two games with 10 points on the board, as 3 or 4 probably wouldn't have been unanticipated, having our first four include Chelsea and Brighton.
Coufal - Zouma (c) - Aguerd - Emerson
Soucek - Alvarez - Ward-Prowse
Bowen - Paqueta
Antonio
Fabianski, Mavropanos, Ogbonna, Kehrer, Fornals, Kudus, Benrahma, Cornet, Ings
I imagine will be the side…
That side started at Brighton, who are very similar to City.
Moyes knows how to get results against this lot; 1-1, 0-0 (win on pens) & 2-2 in 2 of the last 3 seasons at home, we lost 0-2 at home last year. We’re probably as strong as we’ve been in that time & they are probably as ‘weak’ as they’ve been over the same period.
1-1
Assistant Referee: Lennard, Harry
Assistant Referee: Hopton, Nick
Fourth Official: Bramall, Thomas
Video Assistant Referee: Bond, Darren
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Ledger, Scott
On the flip side Ake's hamstring seems to have sorted itself out, played 45 minutes against Greece and 90 minutes against Ireland
Ederson
Walker Akanji Dias Ake
Rodri Phillips?
Silva Alvarez Foden
Haaaland
Phillips replaced Kovacic for the last 5 minutes of the Fulham game
Silva played deeper against Burnley until De Bruyne went off and Kovacic came on so possibly he could start alongside Rodri with Foden on the right and Duku on the left (or Grealish if fit)
When we played City last season our back four were
L2-0 at home
Coufal Johnson Zouma Cresswell
(Dawson, Ogbonna and Aguerd unavailable)
L3-0 away
Coufal Kehrer Ogbonna Cresswell
(Zouma and Aguerd unavailable, Coufal has to be replaced after 60 minutes
Will be interesting to see how we get on with Aguerd and Zouma in the starting XI
That's been my life since 1997...
Sooooooo looking forward to getting going again.⚒
"He seems to be OK".
https://www.whufc.com/news/talking-points-david-moyes-manchester-city-positive-start-and-coaching-additions