So we all know that we really need to win this one. Trouble is, so do City. They’ve won just once out of their last nine games and have somehow managed to draw the rest of them. So, it’s fair to say that they’re somewhat overdue a victory as well.
It might just come down to who wants it more. Neither side is particularly adept at this defending malarkey and instead rely upon outscoring their opposition (or exactly matching the scoring of the opposition, in the case of City).
Nigel De Jong should miss out with swine flu, Bellamy is suspended and Bridge injured. Those three will be badly missed and we have to take advantage. Lennon especially, should have a field day against their reserve left back Slyvinho and it will be interesting to see who Hughes picks to play on the left wing. I can’t see Robinho doing much running back to help out the defence.
Jenas is a doubt with a virus for us, so it’s likely that Huddlestone and Palacios will start again. We need a big game from Wilson, who has been substituted so often of late that he’s considering changing the name on the back of his shirt to ‘Keane’.
Which brings us to Robbie. I’ve a feeling that he might be back on the bench for this one, although you never know. It might all come down to Defoe and how to get the best out of him. He scored 6 goals in 3 games alongside Crouch, when Keane was finally dropped to the bench, but was anonymous against Wolves.
From all accounts it sounds as if Modric will start again on the bench, as he struggles to regain fitness. It least this saves Harry the headache concerning who to drop and the little fella isn’t a bad option to bring on.
Come on boys, we all know you can do it. Surely after the humbling result against Wolves you must be itching to put yourself back into the Champions League contention, especially at the expense of one of your rivals.
If we lose however, we might have to think about the Europa League and nobody wants to busy on every Sunday in 2010/11, do they?
