Manchester City vs. Sunderland: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape EPL Game
Football players and supporters aggrieved by poor officiating normally comfort themselves with the notion that bad calls even out over time.
That is probably true, but it might happen over the course of years rather than over the course of minutes. Unless you have an interest in Chelsea and Manchester City, that is.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is still seething over the penalty that Chelsea was not given in their match with Southampton last weekend. As it happens, Mourinho was actually right this time.
Arguably that error by referee Anthony Taylor cost Chelsea two points in the Premier League table. City were poised to close the gap to one until George Boyd's offside goal helped turn a nervy City win over Burnley into a disappointing draw.
"It took an element of good fortune for Burnley to get back into the game at the start of the second period, with none of the officials spotting Boyd was in an offside position when he got the slightest of touches to (Danny) Ings' shot before it squeezed under Joe Hart," wrote Simon Stone for BBC Sport.
On this day, then, the fickle finger of fortune waved angry tidings at both Chelsea and City. The Sky Blues now turn their attention to another home fixture with another struggling club, Sunderland, on New Year's Day.
Here are five issues and decisions that will shape this clash between the Sky Blues and the Black Cats.
Sunderland Are Fit to Be Tied
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Sunderland are not having a very good season. The Black Cats sit 14th in the Premier League table with just 20 points from 19 matches. You might think this is a product of a lot of losing. Not so.
Sunderland have fewer losses (five) than the following clubs presently well above them in the table: Southampton, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.
The problem for manager Gus Poyet's club is that they just do not win very often. Sunderland leads the league in draws with 11, which is four more draws than any other Premier League club has played. They also have only three wins, which is tied with four other clubs for worst in the league.
On that evidence, Sunderland would probably take a draw with City right now if it was offered.
Play Time for Manchester City Is Almost over
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Manchester City are on the tail end of a fun run of fixtures against bottom-tier Premier League clubs. To their credit, City have seized on the opportunity presented and piled up points in December.
Wins against Sunderland, Leicester, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace made even the draw with Burnley tolerable. A return of 13 points from five matches was more than respectable.
This return date with Sunderland marks the end of the line for "easy" matches. Yes, Everton come to the Etihad on Jan. 10, and yes, Everton are currently 12th in the table. But you do not need to be a Cityphile to know how much trouble City have had with Everton in recent years.
After Everton, City have consecutive league matches with Arsenal and Chelsea, the latter at Stamford Bridge. Like the singles bar at closing time, it gets ugly quickly for City after Sunderland leave the Etihad.
City would be well-advised to take the three points on offer against Sunderland.
Yaya Toure Is Stirring Up Trouble Just Before Blowing Town
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Just when you thought Manchester City and Yaya Toure had mended their fences, Toure took to Twitter to needlessly clarify his injury situation. City manager Manuel Pellegrini cannot be too thrilled with the Ivorian.
After the Burnley draw over the weekend, Pellegrini told the media that Toure was not available to play against the Clarets due to injury. Unfortunately, Pellegrini did not get Toure on board with that message.
"Toure, however, tweeted on Tuesday night to say: 'Just a note to say the boss rested me for the Burnley game, I am not injured...!! really hope to be involved against Sunderland! #ComeOnCity!'", wrote Adam Crafton in the Daily Mail.
Pellegrini might as well play Toure against Sunderland, since the massive midfielder is leaving on a jet plane very soon for national duty in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Will City's Defense Get the Boost It Badly Needs from Vincent Kompany?
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No one will ever know whether Manchester City would have blown a two-goal second-half lead at home against an ordinary Burnley side if Vincent Kompany had been healthy.
What we do know is that without Kompany, City blew a two-goal second-half lead at home to Burnley.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini did amazing work in December squeezing result after result from a side that was ravaged with injuries to significant players, Kompany and Sergio Aguero being the biggest names missing.
Eventually, though, a club starting James Milner at striker and Martin Demichelis every match is going to show cracks. Even City's robust midfield has begun to spring leaks, due in equal parts to Milner's reassignment and to the need to sink back on defense in Kompany's absence.
"Captain Kompany suffered a setback in his bid to recover from calf and hamstring problems as he missed a third consecutive game" and may not be ready to face Sunderland, either, noted Richard Jolly for ESPNFC.com.
It seems like City are always faced with the dilemma of giving an injured star (see also: David Silva and Aguero) too much rest or not enough.
Transfer Winds Are Blowing Through the Etihad
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If it's January, it must be transfer season in world football. And Manchester City look poised to spend more money to patch the gaps injuries have created in their squad.
With Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic all ailing, City are allegedly poised to make an offer for Swansea City striker Wilfried Bony. He won't come cheaply, though.
"City face having to spend around £50 million in transfer fee and wages if they decide to follow up their interest in Bony after Swansea took the release clause out of the Ivory Coast international’s contract," noted Matt Law in The Telegraph.
And with Vincent Kompany still limping and Eliaquim Mangala still struggling, City may splurge on a centre-back in advance of their Champions League knockout-stage exertions.
"Atletico Madrid are willing to sell Brazilian defender Joao Miranda in January—and that has put Manchester City on red alert," wrote John Cross in the Mirror.
Cross also observed that "City have already been heavily linked with Atletico striker Mario Mandzukic."
It promises to be an exciting transfer window for the blue half of Manchester.
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