ROBINHO will return for City but Shaun Wright-Phillips faces a late fitness test before getting the all-clear to face Wigan at Eastlands.
Wright-Phillips has been struggling with a hamstring injury suffered in the FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest and remains 50-50 at best.
Robinho has recovered from an ankle complaint and England full-back Wayne Bridge should make his debut but Stephen Ireland is suspended and Dietmar Hamann begins a lengthy stint on the sidelines after a toe operation.
The build up to the game has been completely dominated bu City's pursuit of Kaka, but Hughes said: "We hope Shaun might be an option. He has been improving steadily but we will not take any risks with him. He hasn't gone at full tilt yet but we will give him every chance because he is a key element for us."
He added: "Wigan are a powerful, balanced team that do the basics very well and watching them you can understand why they have done well.
"They are one fo the more consistent teams in the Premier League at the moment and credit to them for that.
"What I am looking for is a reaction from my players because the last home performance was not good enough and I fully expect to get it."
Wigan manager Steve Bruce has no fresh injury worries following the defeat by Manchester United in midweek.
Midfielders Olivier Kapo and Michael Brown are both pushing for a place in the starting line-up against their local rivals.
Manchester City (from): Hart, Schmeichel, Zabaleta, Onuoha, Richards, Dunne, Bridge, Ball, Ben Haim, Garrido, Wright-Phillips, Kompany, Fernandes, Elano, Robinho, Vassell, Jo, Caicedo, Sturridge, Berti.
Wigan Athletic (from): Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Valencia, Cattermole, Palacios, Taylor, Heskey, Zaki, Boyce, Brown, Koumas, Edman, Camara, Pollitt, De Ridder, Kapo.
City league form: DLLWD
Wigan league form: DLLWD
Key opponent: Amr Zaki - powerhouse forward who will jump on any defensive lapses
Predicition: City 2 Wigan 1 - The Blues should have enough firepower to win with Robinho back
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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Preview: City v Wigan
January 16, 2009
Comments
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Mr Hughes......While Dave (I love to rip fans off) Whealan is there open the case with 30 Mill in and say you might as well leave Palacios and Valencia behind......Don't forget the nice pat on the back as you open the door for him.....
We really,really need to win this game,but our record against this lot aint good.
Hughes really,really needs to win this one to save his job.Only at Man City would you be talking about changing the face of football
in one breath,and needing points to stay out of the relegation zone in the next.
Priceless.
Would this be the 7th atempt to beat Wigan in the premier league, I don't think SWP should be risked and whats the chances of Bridge playing out of position.
I .definitely see us losing this one, what with all the distractions regarding kaka going on in the background. We've all seen what a bit of talk does to these players, so I'm afraid it will be City 0 Wigan 2.
Hart
Richards-Dunne-Onuoha-Bridge
Zabalet-Kompany-Elano-Garrido
Jo-Robinho
well i guess palacios wont be playing.....
from worldwide celebrity status for being the cause of the total destruction of planet football to the little task of beating a side from pie land.
Wigan are a good side, a top 7 side, and they will play the same way as they did at home,
chase, harry, defend man on man and shoot when chances come along.
I am old enough to remember the last win we had against them ;-)
so let's lay this baby to bed and get back to fantasy football ASAP,
long balls over their packed midfield should work,
pretty football !!!
not this weekend folks.
3 points needed.
Whats the betting Elano plays his little cotton socks off now that the revolution is really under way, he aint going to want to leave city now, and yes, the fact Hughes is still not the right man for the job has been brushed under the carpet with the recent big news taking the limelight. If we lose tomorrow because of some poxy tactics such as playing Vassell and Kaka decides he doesnt want to come and play for a shower like us the fans will NEVER forgive Hugheless. Big big game on many levels this one.
does someone know something we don't?? According to wikipedia Nigel De Jong is a Man City Player ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_de_Jong
Be nice to a reaction from our manager nevermind the players - drop and leave out completely Vassell and gelson then we'll know something has been learned.
We still havent scored v Wigan at home in the Prem (and havent beat them away either!).
Surely the only way is up? We are owed a GOOD performance......
Wikipedia is a site that any old idiot can write and edit articles in. Not unlike the Daily Mirror and the Setanta Website.
well if we lose this , we can 4get about kaka , if he watches vassel play he'l definetly won't come to manchester to even talk to us.
BOLD PREDICTION - City 3 Wigan 1 (Roninho 2, Kompany)
Hart
Richards RB Dunne CB Onouha CB Bridge LB
Zab RM Komp CM Elano CM Garrido LM
Sturridge ST Robinho ST
NO Vass, Ball, Fernandes, Caecido and Elano is only playing 'cos SWP is injured
2-1 City
Good shout F.A.B.... Just got off the phone to True Blue in Middlebrough and that was his sentiments to the letter.....
C'mon Blues let put this to bed and start the BIG climb back up the league.....
Former Aussie Blue.
The same line up as i would choose,but,i bet the headless chicken(Fernandes) and saviour of the universe(Vass)will be chosen ahead of what could be a well balanced line up.
must win game this. come on blues. hopefully palacios won't be playing to earn them anymore dodgy pens!
Oh yeah that. I had forgotten that we had a game this weekend.
I look forward to the sulkers going on strike again as they know they will be ousted by proper players.
6 points is a must from the next 2 home games.
Tomorrow we'll see who wants to have a future at city and who has accepted they wont. Hope theres not too man of the latter otherwise we'll get tonked!
I wonder if Dada Kaka will be watching.....
If we lose this home game against a strong Wigan kiss Kaka goodbye. I expect at best a draw.
Does anyone really think Hughes is manager? he has no say in real deals as we have seen. If city really get Kaka and other greats then a real manager/coach is necessary, not this fraud.
I cannot stand Hughes I am clear about that as he is an EX RED and I hate all ex Reds. Do u think Uuited would welcome Summerbee or Bell of Lee as their manager? NO they wouldnt so why should we expect this person?
Pete of Manchester ... they did'nt mind Matt Busby being their Manager, did they?
Just beat them City. Please.
Iceman, that is a quality put-down!