How Manchester City's System Will Change to Overcome Striker Shortage

Manchester City will go into Saturday's match at home with Crystal Palace without a recognised forward, after Manuel Pellegrini confirmed that Stevan Jovetic, Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko will all miss the game through injury.

Jovetic is expected to feature over the Christmas period but has been unable to shake off his hamstring injury in time for the visit of Neil Warnock's side, with Aguero and Dzeko unlikely to play until the new year.

Pellegrini's decision not to replace Alvaro Negredo, who left for Valencia in the summer on a season-long loan with an obligatory purchase clause, has been put into sharper focus after something of an injury crisis in the striker department.

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City go in search of their eighth straight win when they take on Palace in Saturday's early kick-off after an excellent recent run which has seen them cut Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premier League to three points and qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.

However, the lack of available strikers leaves Pellegrini with a conundrum ahead of the game.

Jose Angel Pozo came on and led the line against Everton when Aguero went off with a knee ligament injury, and he also stepped in last weekend at Leicester when Dzeko injured his calf during the warm-up, but his lack of physical presence makes him somewhat unsuitable for that role.

The young Spanish player is seen as more of a No. 10, and to expect him to play up front on his own is unfair at this stage. He has very obvious technical qualities, and his footballing brain belies his tender years, but playing as a lone striker is beyond him for now.

Pellegrini believes James Milner is an option to occupy the striker role, but it's more likely City will opt for a change in system, operating instead with a false nine rather than an out-and-out striker.

Samir Nasri and David Silva, who has played in that role for Spain, are the obvious candidates. Both have the attributes needed to occupy the space just in front of the opposing back four and bring City's other attack-minded midfielders into the game. While it isn't Pellegrini's first-choice system, it may prove to be their best option given their limited choices.

"Tomorrow we will see," said the City boss. "We will have to change our way to play, a different system because when you don't have strikers you must arrive to the goal in a different way.

"I hope tomorrow we will do it. I know that we play against a team that defend very well also so we will see what is the best solution to play without them."

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Another concern for City is the absence of Vincent Kompany, who suffered a recurrence of his recent hamstring injury in the win over Leicester last weekend.

However, with Eliaquim Mangala playing his best football since he moved to City from Porto in the summer, and with Martin Demichelis still in fine form, there's less cause for concern than there is at the other end of the pitch.

Mangala has faced severe criticism so far this season, but his last two performances—in the wins over Roma and Leicester—suggest he is settling into life at City, and Pellegrini believes he will prove to be a long-term option at centre-back for the club.

"When we bought Mangala, we were sure it was a central back for a lot of years," Pellegrini said. "He is a very young player with a lot of experience. That is important, at a big club in Portugal, Porto, he played Champions League, he won titles.

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"In the first couple of months, it was difficult for him to settle here in the way he needs to in our team. But we never lost trust we had in him. I am sure he will be the central back that this team needs for the next year. I am sure the last two games will be his normal performances from now until the end of the year."

A four-goal win would be enough to see City go top, at least until Chelsea's game away at Stoke City on Monday evening.

Given the west Londoners’ lead stood at eight points just a few weeks ago, it would be a huge psychological test for their players.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.