RECORD signing Robinho looks certain to return to the Manchester City side for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League match at Wigan.
The Brazil striker was rested in midweek when City tumbled out of the Carling Cup at the hands of League One Brighton.
Goalkeeper Joe Hart, Micah Richards, Shaun-Wright Phillips and Elano are also likely to reclaim their places in the side.
Forward Ched Evans, who scored in the 6-0 mauling of Portsmouth last week, should take his place on the bench and boss Mark Hughes has been encouraged by the young Welshman's early season form.
"His confidence is high," said Hughes. "Scoring the first league goal is a key milestone for any young player particularly a striker. I suppose it got a bit lost in all the other things that were going on with the takeover and the six goals.
"When you are coming through the ranks, you want to make a debut, then start a game, then have an impact but the key one you want to find very quickly is to hit the back of the net and he has been able to do that.
"People could see the reaction of the crowd to him and that is what I talk about when I say the fans have an empathy with their own that have come through the ranks.
"They will young players to do well. It is very special and we have to make sure we maintain that link. The bringing through of our own players is key to what the new owners want to do.
Quality
"We are fortunate that we have an Academy that has produced more top-quality Premier League players recently than any other Academy. That is not something that we will allow to be affected by a change in ownership. We want to protect it and enhance it."
Michael Johnson was another to come off that much-envied Platt Lane production line and Hughes is hoping that the England Under-21 international, who has just pledged his long-term future to the club, is now getting to the end of the groin and pelvic niggles that have dogged him for the last year.
"Michael has a problem that we are trying to get on top of and he may feel discomfort after games but he will be better for the outing on Wednesday," said the manager.
Hughes is likely to boil his choice against Wigan on Sunday down to Johnson or Elano for one of the four midfield slots behind Jo. Stevie Ireland, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Robinho are set to occupy the three other places and skipper Richard Dunne admits that the arrival back at City of SWP has been a huge boost to everyone.
"We have that lot in training every day and they tie us in knots occasionally and they way they all played on Saturday against Pompey I don't think that anyone would have dealt with them," he said.
"We have players who can open up any defence but all the skill in the world is not effective without hard work. Under this manager if they are not prepared to run for the team they will find themselves out of it.
"As soon as Shaun arrived back the whole place lifted and his performances have been amazing. It is just lucky that he loves City and wanted to come back so much."
Martin Petrov's injured hamstring is likely to keep him out of the squad at Wigan though he could return against Omonia on Thursday. Nedum Onuoha is back in training after missing seven games.
Wigan manager Steve Bruce has no new injury worries after his players came through unscathed against Ipswich.
Lee Cattermole made a goalscoring return from suspension in the 4-1 Carling Cup victory at Portman Road, while Olivier Kapo and Paul Scharner are hoping to retain their places having also scored in midweek.
Ryan Taylor (shin) is back in contention while full-back Erik Edman is nearing a return from a long-term knee injury.
Wigan Athletic (from): Kirkland, Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Figueroa, Valencia, Cattermole, Palacios, Kilbane, Heskey, Zaki, Brown, Camara, De Ridder, Kapo, Koumas, Kupisz, Scharner, Taylor, Pollitt, Kingson.
Manchester City (from): Hart, Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne, Ben Haim, Garrido, Ball, Elano, Kompany, Johnson, Ireland, Hamann, Fernandes, Wright-Phillips, Robinho, Jo, Schmeichel, Evans, Sturridge.
Wigan league form: LLWDD
City league form: LWWLW
Key opponent: Emile Heskey - City have been a bit shaky at the back and Heskey will expose any weakness
Prediction: Wigan 1 City 2 - With Robinho and SWP back the Blues should have enough firepower to win
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get 8/1 on City winning 2-1 with Betfred. For this and more odds, click
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I read where Steve Bruce took a dig at us, too. This will be a very physical game, but our flair will overcome in the end. 3-0 City. We have not beaten Wigan in the Prem; it's time to set that record straight.
Tough game but 2-o to City,Robinho and wrighty.
CTID
We potentially have a bit more flair than Wigan.
2-1 to City would be a fab result.
Key player will be Kompany, he needs to be strong in front of the defense, which has been poor.
This game could well come down to 2 key areas...., valencia v garrido, if the midfield doesn't get hold of him then he'll roast garrido and create havoc in and around our 6 yard box, though the work rate of stevie I and robroy suggest valencia could wel be penned back, here's hoping..... the big one for me is Kompany v Palacios, will be gritty in there i'm backing 'the business' to show his class, tho I do rate palacios. Can c rob giving melchiott a torrid time as well, loves to jump in r buffalo soldier, reckon 2-0 city, Ireland and jo with the goals... pray bramble starts. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
City team to play Wigan
GK Hart
RB Zabelata CB Richards CB Dunne LB Garrdo
RM SWP CM Elano CM Kompany LM Irelabd
AM Robinho
CF Jo
Subs Kasper TBH Petrov Fernandes Johnson Evens Strurridge City to win 2-0
This will be a tough game, although its one I believe we can win. There danger men for me are their forwards Valencia, Heskey & Zakhi. I am worried about the pace of Valencia on our left, and would not be surprised to see Johnson come in for Elano to give us a bit more defensive steel. Hopefully though they will be kept very busy trying to defend against SWP, Jo & Robihno. I go for the odd goal victory to break our Prem league hoodoo.
I predict that this game will go one of two ways, Wigan will out muscle us and stop us playing and grind out a result, or they will be unable to stifle our multiple threats and we will beat them, it will be near on impossible for Wigan to close out Robinho,SWP,Elano and Ireland
So I am leaning more towards a City win maybe by 3 goals.
“Hughes is likely to boil his choice against Wigan on Sunday down to….” ??
Seriously poor sentence construction there MEN !
“It is just lucky that he [SWP] loves City and wanted to come back so much…."
Not going to speculate on why he left, but he obviously knows that we didn't want him to. And we have observed his subsequent career with 'interest'.
So Shaun's back (SWP). And Shaun's back (the Goat). I know how much of a feel-good factor that is going to give the fans. Let's hope it transfers to the players...
City team to play Wigan. This will be a tough physical encounter, therefore I'm selecting Richards beside Kompany in front of the back four. Hart, Zabaleta Dunne, Ben Haim, Garrido. Kompany, Ricards. SWP, Robinho, Ireland, Jo. 4-2-3-1 system with the three behind Jo linking-up.
Maybe we should play the team that played Brighton, give em another chance to redeem themselves?
NAAHHHH!
3-1 to City, Wigan scoring first, just to sheikh us up (couldn't resist, sorry). 1 from SWeeP and Robinho to get a brace, Jo with a hand in both goals.
Apart from Petrov who's still troubled by an achilles problem, we should have our best team available for the JJB game. Admittedly, we've never beaten Wigan in the Prem but hopefully that stat will no longer exist after Sunday afternoon.
Although the Brighton game was a chance to give the fringe players an outing, I'd hoped for a strong starting line-up and for the others to be introduced when the game was safe. Only Robinho would have been missing from the attack and perhaps Kasper in goal and Berti at LCB if he was fit. Otherwise, virtually the same team that beat Pompey
However, what's done is done, and now we must move on and solidify our league position. The formation will have to consider the attacking threat that Valencia especially poses.
City v Wigan (4-2-3-1)
Hart;
Zabaleta, Richards, Dunne(c), Ball;
Johnson, Kompany;
SWeeP, Ireland, Robinho;
Jo.
Subs: Kasper, T.B.H, Garrido, Hamann, Elano, Etuhu, Evans.
Despite Wiga's record against us, and their undoubted attacking flair, I think we'll prove too good for them.
City to win 3-1 in an entertaining game.
This is not a game for the powder puff brigade, Elano and Sturridge need not apply.
pie eaters gonna get whupped
wigan proved last year that are very capable at stifling teams and stopping them from playing. fortunately we have much more guile and skill this year, so we should be okay. However, thats what we said on wednesday!
I think this one will be very close 1 goal either way. Wigan will try and kick us out of the game and get a player sent off.
wigan are no mugs, don't take this game lightly. i would play both didi and kompany in front of the back four to begin with, with stevie ireland in the middle ahead of them, SWP attacking down the right, robinho cutting in from the left, jo in the middle up front - we should have enough flair to score goals against wigan, but we don't want to give anything away. then bring on elano or another striker in place of didi eventually, and we could get a hatful: or if we need to secure points, bring on gelson or johnson as necessary
in MH we trust...!!!
For me its all about whether Dunne has a good day or a bad day.....
our game against The pot heads has been put back to the sunday but we are still down to play th boro on the Tuesday. Is that game getting put back.
Agree with Zim Zimmer, this game will come down to 2 key areas - our goal area and theirs. I predict little action in ours and plenty in theirs. Wigan 0 City 3
Most on hear are suggesting playing two defencive midfielders in front of back four, that is a fairly damning endicement on our central defenders rather than the the threat of Wigan`s strikers. I fancy a draw here and would be happy with that result, no slip ups in the 89th minute please.
MEN can we please have an interview or at least some comments from the manager regarding the fourth Brazilian. Any chance Berti could be involved with the first team anytime soon. Given our frailties in central defence I for one would like to know a little more about him.
Very tricky game bearing in mind our record against Wigan. Always winnable but actually achieving that may be a very different thing. Should start the side that played against Portsmouth because that team was great going forward but there is enough in there to do the defensive work too. Valencia, Heskey, Zhaki and Scharner are the ones to watch and don't let Scharner within a sniff of a long range shot or we will be punished. At this stage of the season, I'd take a point but all three would be nice. To lose would not be good. 1 goal either way.
Williamson should play left back or give Berti a go.We all know Garrido is ok going forward and linking up with the attacking play, but against a player like Valencia his defensive frailties will be exposed.Dunny needs to refrain from ball watching, like he did for Brightons second goal (will he ever learn?) and Micah will have to be his athletic best against a strong speedy Wigan forward line.All that taken care of, we just have to leave it to the rest of the team to get the goals we need to win.On a slightly different note, has anyone read Elanos comments on Robinho wanting to stay on the left wing for us? If thats the case it will be interesting to see what happens when Petrov is fit again.3-2 for City on Sunday.
I cannot believe we have been left with Smikes as our second choice keeper. If Hart gets injured we are in serious trouble. We have excellent cover now in most positions but Kasper as a premier keeper is a big worry, especially with that star jump. They all know about it now and knock it under him. Is Budgie still available?
"City have a bit more flair" ? damned fool!! City 4-breds 0
The versatile 4-3-3 we played against Pompy is the best option tho i disagree that didi and jono can fit to it. Hamman against Chelsea showed that while the mind work the legs are going, when its that easy to get past your midfield it exposes your center backs so so much more.
As for Petrov he is going to have to play a completely different game to the mindless selfishness he used at the end of last season. Rob-o is showing he can attack and defend so it will be interesting to see.