Manchester City vs. Swansea: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Manchester City host Swansea City on Saturday buoyed by their second-half performance against Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday.
City have won just one of their last four league games, but their result in midweek, which saw them top their group and guarantee themselves an easier last-16 draw in this season’s Champions League, has provided them with a significant boost ahead of the visit of the Swans.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini was unhappy with his side’s first-half performance on Tuesday, but the vast improvement after the break pleased him and is the standard he wants his side to reach in every game.
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“I think that if we play in the way we did in the second half, we can play against any team,” he said immediately after Tuesday’s game.
“You can win, you can lose, but this is the way we normally work, the way I like to play.”
Swansea arrive managerless after sacking Garry Monk earlier in the week, with caretaker manager Alan Curtis set to lead the side.
They sit 15th in the table and are just one point above the relegation zone. Despite all the positive strides they made under Monk, with the impatience of Premier League owners at an all-time high, he was always going to pay the price for their poor season so far.
"Alan Curtis has promised @SwansOfficial will fight and scrap for everything against @MCFC - https://t.co/B7wgtx3i7V pic.twitter.com/rLveSjueO6
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) December 11, 2015"
“Always when a club change a manager they have a special motivation in the first game, that is always a different thing, but I think they cannot change too much in two or three days,” Pellegrini said on Friday.
“I don’t think the problem of Swansea was the manager. He was the same manager who made a very good season last year, so I think they are in a bad moment, but it is a not a problem of one game.”
The two sides have met four times at the Etihad in the Premier League era, and City have a 100 percent record. The Blues have the best home record in the top flight this season—taking 18 points from a possible 24.
".@wilfriedbony features on the front of the #cityvswans official match programme. Pick-up your copy at the game! pic.twitter.com/wdOm1Ygg82
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) December 11, 2015"
Date: Saturday, December 12
Kick-off: 3 p.m. GMT/11 a.m. ET
TV Listings: NBCSN, NBC Sports Live Extra (US)
Live Stream: Per Man City's official Twitter:
"Need to know how you can watch #cityvswans? 📺 Global TV listings: https://t.co/xSzhgs2jpG #mcfc pic.twitter.com/en6gUhuuNk
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) December 11, 2015"
Form Guide (Last five results)
Manchester City
Manchester City 4-2 Borussia Monchengladbach (Champions League)
Stoke City 2-0 Manchester City
Manchester City 4-1 Hull City (League Cup)
Manchester City 3-1 Southampton
Juventus 1-0 Manchester City
Swansea City
Swansea City 0-3 Leicester City
Liverpool 1-0 Swansea City
Swansea City 2-2 Bournemouth
Norwich City 1-0 Swansea City
Swansea City 0-3 Arsenal
"VIDEO: Watch what happened the last time we faced @MCFC at the Etihad Stadium back in November 2014. #swans https://t.co/BRiiEgIitn
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) December 11, 2015"
Predicted Formations
Manchester City
City will once again be without captain Vincent Kompany. Their Premier League record with and without the Belgian makes for interesting reading. They've played eight, won six and conceded one with him. When he's been absent, they have played seven, won three and conceded 15.
Sergio Aguero also remains sidelined with a heel problem, and Samir Nasri, Fernando and Pablo Zabaleta are out. Martin Demichelis is back in contention, though.
Manchester City (from): Caballero, Hart, Wright, Clichy, Demichelis, Kolarov, Mangala, Otamendi, Sagna, Zabaleta, De Bruyne, Delph, Fernandinho, Navas, Roberts, Silva, Toure, Zuculini, Bony, Iheanacho, Sterling.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Delph, Toure; De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling.
Swansea City
Swansea have no fresh injury concerns. Jonjo Shelvey missed the last game and will be hoping to be involved.
Swansea City (from): Fabianski, Nordfeldt, Tremmel, Alfei, Amat, Bartley, Fernandez, Naughton, Rangel, Tabanou, Taylor, Williams, Ayew, Britton, Cork, Fulton, Grimes, Ki, Lucas, Montero, Routledge, Shelvey, Sigurdsson, Barrow, Eder, Emnes, Gomis.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Shelvey, Ki; Ayew, Sigurdsson, Montero; Gomis.
Players To Watch
Manchester City: Wilfried Bony
Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony comes up against his previous club on Saturday with his current form—inconsistent, at best.
Last weekend at Stoke City, Bony gave arguably his worst performance in a Blue shirt, with an erratic touch and lack of movement his two most obvious issues.
However, on Tuesday against Gladbach, having been benched for the game, he came on and assisted Raheem Sterling before scoring himself. It is likely to have been a much-needed boost to his confidence.
With just eight goals since he arrived at the club in January, his move has hardly been a success, but there will be plenty of opportunities for him to reverse his fortunes before the season is over, starting on Saturday.
Swansea City: Andre Ayew
The new television money set to come into the Premier League at the end of the season has given clubs wealth they never thought possible. As a result, teams outside the traditional top six have found themselves in a position to attract a higher calibre of player.
Dimitri Payet at West Ham United, Yohan Cabaye at Crystal Palace and Georginio Wijnaldum at Newcastle United are prime examples, as is Swansea's Andre Ayew.
Ayew is good enough to play for top-six side and provides a real threat down the right-hand side. With City somewhat shaky at left-back, he could provide a real threat on Saturday.
He's quick and powerful, can cut inside and cause problems and is Swansea's top scorer this season.
Key Battle: David Silva vs. Jonjo Shelvey
After a nine-match absence, David Silva has been involved in City's last four games and is returning to his best.
The creativity and control that he brings is City's most potent weapon, and if Jonjo Shelvey returns to the side this weekend, he is likely to be the player detailed to minimise his threat.
Shelvey has turned into a fine midfielder since leaving Liverpool and joining the Swans. He brings energy, industry and a goal threat.
But Silva is a special player who is so difficult to pick up, drifting between the lines and dragging players into uncomfortable areas.
Shelvey won't have an easy afternoon.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Manchester City: 1-4 (-400)
Swansea City: 9-1 (+900)
Draw: 5-1 (+500)
"Not to be missed! See how the Frenchman gets on in the full version of the video... Enjoy: https://t.co/T5K5vsbVyQ #mcfc #meantweets
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) December 11, 2015"
Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.
