Man City vs. West Brom: Team News, Predicted Line-Ups, Live Stream & TV Info
Manchester City face West Brom at the Etihad on Saturday for Saturday’s early kick-off.
City, who exited the Champions League after defeat to Barcelona on Wednesday, are in desperate need of a win to kick-start some momentum between now and the end of the season.
If they can't win the title, which looks highly unlikely, they must finish the season strongly and remain in second position before embarking on a summer spending spree that sees them inject some pace into an aging squad.
For West Brom, they have little to play for but will be keen to maintain the clear progress made since Tony Pulis was appointed at the turn of the year.
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Form Guide (Last 5 results for both teams)
City
Barcelona 1-0 City (Champions League last-16 second leg)
Burnley 1-0 City
City 2-0 Leicester
Liverpool 2-1 City
City 1-2 Barcelona (Champions League last-16 first leg)
West Brom
West Brom 1-0 Stoke City
Aston Villa 2-0 West Brom (FA Cup sixth round)
Aston Villa 2-1 West Brom
West Brom 1-0 Southampton
Sunderland 0-0 West Brom
Predicted Formations
City
It's never easy to predict a City line-up given the resources at Manuel Pellegrini's disposal, but it can be even more so on the back of a midweek European game. He's likely to shake things up considerably.
Yaya Toure is out with an Achilles problem, and Aleksandar Kolarov (muscle) and James Milner (knee) are unlikely to be involved.
West Brom
Baggies goalkeeper Ben Foster is out with a knee problem, and Chris Brunt and Claudio Yacob are both suspended.
Pulis may well sacrifice Brown Ideye and go for an extra man in midfield in an attempt to stop City gaining control of the game.
Players to Watch
City: David Silva
There have been very few players who have impressed for City this season, but David Silva remains a wonderful midfielder and one who has played well for much of the season.
He has 10 league goals—the best haul of his career to date—and remains City's most effective player going forward.
His wonderful passing ability means he can dictate play, often seeing passes very few others can. West Brom will have to try and stifle him if they want any success at the Etihad.
West Brom: Saido Berahino
In Saido Berahino, West Brom have unearthed a gem. His 18 goals in all competitions is testament to his quality in front of goal, with his pace a real threat in behind.
Whether they can keep hold of him remains to be seen, but for now they have a striker capable of lethal finishing. His movement will be a real problem for City's defenders on Saturday.
Key Battle: Sergio Aguero vs. Joleon Lescott
Former City fan favourite Joleon Lescott returns to City for the first time since the leaving the club last season. Lescott was a key player in ushering in City's recent period of success and is still the subject of terrace songs.
His decline at City was centred on his loss of sharpness and pace, something Sergio Aguero will try to exploit. Aguero remains a player whose movement and pace, as well as his ability in front of goal, means he is one of the most feared forwards in the game, and Lescott will have a difficult afternoon trying to contain him.
Odds (via Odds Shark):
City: +350
West Brom: +900
Draw: +475
TV Listing
The game will be shown live on BT Sport 1. Kick-off is at 12:45 p.m. GMT. Highlights will be shown on BBC One's Match of the Day programme at 10:10 p.m.
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.
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