CITY will not try to fight fire with fire when resurgent Bolton come looking for revenge.
Blues boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is expecting Wanderers to play the brand of powerful pressing game that so upset Sir Alex Ferguson in a recent Reebok win over United but he will not allow his men to be drawn into a trial of strength.
Eriksson is hoping to welcome back possibly his two most consistent players this season, Elano and Didi Hamann, after they both missed the luckless 2-1 defeat at Spurs.
There remains a slight doubt about the Brazilian who will not be risked should he not prove himself 100 per cent in a fitness test on Saturday morning.
Stephen Ireland is suspended for being sent-off against Spurs and Swiss international Gelson Fernandes is expected to make way for Hamann with Eriksson left with a choice between Geovanni or Darius Vassell for the right-wing slot.
If Elano is missing, then both may play with Rolando Bianchi, who, after his confidence-boosting goal at White Hart Lane, is set to start a league game for the first time in three months.
The Blues are defending an unblemished, eight-game Premier League home record, the best start to a season on their own pitch for a century, against Wanderers who were the Blues' recent Carling Cup victims.
Eriksson's side are still occupying a UEFA Cup qualification place though five points from the last 12 on offer has seen them fall off their own blistering pace and ended a lengthy stint in the top four.
The manager does not subscribe to the theory that poor away form has chipped away confidence from the ranks.
Setbacks
"In football you have to put setbacks behind you and move forward and that is what we have done," he said. "I told the players that we showed the right approach and spirit at White Hart Lane and that if they continue to show the same levels home and away I will be happy.
"We were a little unlucky to lose at Spurs. The first goal wasn't a free-kick and then was maybe a handball and offside while for the winning goal Michael Dawson seemed offside. But our spirit was good and we did a lot of positive things in that match. I was pleased with everything but the result."
Having squeezed past bottom half of the table sides Birmingham, Sunderland and Reading by a single goal margin in the previous three home games, Eriksson is expecting another tough encounter with Gary Megson's improving side.
"They won 4-1 at the weekend, beat United of course and had good results in Europe so they will be a hard team to beat," he noted.
"It seems that the new manager has turned things around for them and the scouts we have had at their matches have commented on what a good spirit they have been showing.
"They fight for everything and are defensively sound so it will be hard for us. Of course they are a physically strong team but there is nothing wrong with that. If you have a great physique then you must use it. Then it is up to the referee to say whether it is too much or whether it is OK.
"They are known for being strong but they have good footballers too like Anelka and Campo."
Gary Megson, meanwhile, is set to field an unchanged line-up.
Manager Megson made four changes to the side that lost 4-0 at Liverpool as Bolton faced Wigan last week and the Trotters got their recent revival back on track with a 4-1 home win.
With no fresh injuries or suspensions to contend with, Andy O’Brien and Nicky Hunt should keep their places in defence, while Danny Guthrie and Kevin Nolan are set to remain in midfield.
Manchester City (from): Isaksson, Corluka, Dunne, Richards, Garrido, Etuhu, Hamann, Fernandes, Johnson, Petrov, Elano, Vassell, Bianchi, Samaras, Geovanni, Hart, Onuoha, Jihai.
Bolton Wanderers (from): Jaaskelainen, Al Habsi, Hunt, A O’Brien, Meite, Cid, Gardner, Giannakopoulos, Guthrie, McCann, Nolan, Alonso, Speed, Teymourian, Wilhelmsson, Davies, Anelka, Diouf, Samuel, Al Habsi, Michalik, Braaten.
Last season: City 0 Bolton 2
Key opponent: Nicolas Anelka - City need no reminding of the striker's quality - and he seems to be playing better than ever
Prediction: City 2 Bolton 1 - Bolton have won at City for the last three seasons in the league, and if Elano returns expect that streak to be broken
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get 7/1 on City winning 2-1 with Betfred. For this and more odds, click
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
A Groenendijk (14/12/2007 at 12:35)
If we sign Alfons Groenedijk again we will make champions league for sure!
kevin cairns, morecambe (14/12/2007 at 12:49)
Subs:Hart Hamann Etuhu Vassell Onouha
Joel_Davyhulme, Davyhulme (14/12/2007 at 12:50)
We may need to hang on abit at the end when Bolton resort to long ball.
Bianchi to score 1st.
Isaakson
Corluka Richards Dunne Garrido
Johnson Hamman
Vassell petrov
Elano
Bianchi
zedgie, "I've got high hopes", Manchester (14/12/2007 at 12:56)
uptoeleven, London (14/12/2007 at 13:16)
Eriksson is an absolute treasure, a real statesman of the game. Sorry to gush like this but he manages in a few words what most managers fail to do in a long diatribe. Yes Bolton are a vicious, brutal side at times and most managers just blub on about that hoping the ref will have sympathy. Instead Eriksson says - yes of course they're strong, nothing wrong with that, if you're strong use your strength, then it is down to the ref to decide. Graceful and incredibly respectful of the ref - and people do respond to respect, far more than to the veiled criticisms and finger pointing from other managers. Should be an interesting game.
MICO, PORTADOWN (14/12/2007 at 13:33)
Spiderman (14/12/2007 at 13:36)
The Iceman Cometh, Manchester (14/12/2007 at 13:42)
Malc, oldham (14/12/2007 at 13:49)
woolleyback blue, Heart of the City (14/12/2007 at 13:51)
Uwe Rossler's Jockstrap, Reddish (14/12/2007 at 13:51)
Don't worry about the pig men we will take them apart early doors - Bianchi to score
Come on City
Giles, Voice of City Fans (14/12/2007 at 13:53)
Show them who's boss early on - afew studs down the achilles, an elbow when going up for the headers. You don't mess with us at COMS. Same goes for the fans too.
g2thesmith (14/12/2007 at 14:14)
subs: hart, logan, vassell, fernandes, geovani,
gonna be tough game, but with pace on the wings and didi/johnson and elano/johnson understanding think we will do well, its probably my favourite squad to pick.
Beni, Davyhulme (14/12/2007 at 14:32)
The Iceman Cometh, Manchester (14/12/2007 at 14:33)
Sunny, Maastricht- Ex-Whalley Range (14/12/2007 at 14:36)
agreed, in fact I'd go as far as to say King Sven exudes more class and wherewithal per interview than some managers are able to after 20 years in the job and a thousand interviews.
As for the game, with only 6pts available to the top 4 - it's a must win for us to stay in the mix and get another week out of the way and closer to the January cavalry arriving. I dread these games as a rule (against thug teams) but woke up today with the same feeling as Joel in Davyhulme.
Rolo to bag one early and them to be down to 10 men at the hour mark. The ensuing penalty promptly flying in on 61 mins and then a bit of argy bargy - they knick one back with 10 to go and we're biting our nails until Geo hits a rocket in stoppage time!
What odds would that cocktail be worth?
Can't bet on-line from here, so in case my little pre-match "report" comes true can one of you have a fiver on it and tell me what you made!
BTW- Congrats to Hawaiian Sunset Blue(?) who came up with the brilliant 'settee' song. It got a mention in the Guardian match report on Monday. That's recognition for you Blue..
Blue-Swede-dude, In Nancy's Knickers! (14/12/2007 at 14:40)
Elano, the football genius,
Got too cold in the Ukraine,
So when he got the call from Svennis,
He booked himself on the next plane!
When he arrived at City,
No one really knew his name,
But Svennis and Hans both knew that,
He was ready for his first big game.
Then one Sunny summers night
Svennis came to say
Elano, with your skill and flair,
You’ll score goals from everywhere.
Now all City fans love him
And they all shout out with glee
Elano, the football genius,
You’ll go down in history!
Shaun, At My Desk (14/12/2007 at 14:56)
surely his time has come at last? We'll need a similar performance to the one against Pompey where we matched them for the full ninety minutes. Clean sheet,2-0 City.In Sven we trust.Giles,words escape me.
..'I'm not really here!'...Glossopia blue., Glossop,Derbys. (14/12/2007 at 15:17)
City need all the big guns up for this one..Elano,Petrov,etc..and especially the guille and experience of Hamann controlling things in the middle!...
Up to City to take the game to them,defending deep and then long ball counters from the Pig Men!...
Could have to be patient again,not a pretty game,but Rolo to snatch it late on!?..
blueloon, Northwich (14/12/2007 at 15:33)
bluefield, chesterfield (14/12/2007 at 15:50)
The Iceman Cometh, Manchester (14/12/2007 at 16:10)
A long time ago
A million years BC
The best things in life
Were absolutely free.
But no one appreciated
A sky that was always blue.
And no one congratulated
A moon that was always new.
So it was planned that they would vanish now and then
And you must pay before you get them back again.
That's what storms were made for
And you shouldn't be afraid for
Every time it rains it rains
Svenni’s from heaven.
Don't you know each cloud contains
Svenni’s from heaven.
You'll find your fortune falling
All over town.
Be sure that your umbrella is upside down.
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers.
If you want the things you love
You must have showers.
So when you hear it thunder
Don't run under a tree.
There'll be Svenni’s from heaven for you and me ....
oh bhuggar it, I agree with Sunny, will done Hawaii B sunset ....
Sven, Sven, wherever you may be,
You are the Pride of Man City.
You can have my wife on our Setee,
If you win us a cup at Wem-ber-ley.
excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Twosips, Deansgate, work, sigh. (14/12/2007 at 16:12)
woolleyback blue, Heart of the City (14/12/2007 at 16:33)
It's perfectly feasable providing our full strength team come through the first game unscathed. I would be quite happy to do that against most other teams but notlob, they will be after revenge for the cup defeat and as this is being advertised as a "derby" game you can bet the tackles will be flying in early in order to upset our stars. The one player they will try and snuff out is Elano who's value has been proven by the results we've had whilst he's been injured. If you want to risk him being injured again and missing the really vital games against Blackburn and Liverpool then advocate him playing by all means. I'd rather save him.
Peter Doherty. As good as it gets! Levenshulme. (Debt Free) [Shut it baconface!] (14/12/2007 at 16:38)