Spurs Date Announced
City’s postponed game against Spurs has been announced by the club as being on Wednesday 5th May with an 8pm kick-off.
The original game was cancelled as Spurs were still involved in the FA Cup and the match could prove vital in the race for fourth place.
City are just two points behind the Londoners and have a game in hand, a home match against Everton and victory could boost their chances of qualifying for fourth place and the Champions League.
Mancini With Egg On His face
Fulham’s 5-4 aggregate victory over Juventus has left Roberto Mancini with egg on his face after the City manager claimed Juventus ‘couldn’t lose’ ahead of the Europa League game.
Speaking to Tuttosport, Bobby claimed Juve had ‘greater depth’ than Fulham and that they ‘cannot lose, in the sense that they would go through to the quarter finals.’
Juve were favourites to progress after taking a 3-1 first leg lead to Craven Cottage and took the lead before Fulham completed a remarkable comeback to win 4-1 on the night and send The Old Lady crashing out of the competition.
It just goes to show how a team can be seriously underestimated, no matter what competition they are playing in. I just hope that Bobby doesn’t make any more blunders before Sunday’s game.
Tough Fulham Test Ahead For City
City will face a stern test at Craven Cottage on Sunday as they take on a Fulham side that will be full of confidence going into the game.
The Cottagers put an incredible performance against Juventus on Thursday night to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg to record a 4-1 victory on the night, giving them a 5-4 aggregate win and a place in the last eight of the competition.
Fulham went a goal down to the Italians but made a remarkable recovery to win the tie, which would have been helped by the fact that Juve had two men sent off.
Fulham have a decent home record in the Premier League this season, having lost only three and wining nine of their fourteen games played. They are also only one of two teams whose ‘goals conceded’ column is still in single figures, the other being Chelsea.
Thursday’s result means Fulham have reached the same stage of the competition as City last season, before being knocked out by Hamburg after a rousing performance in the 2nd leg at Eastlands.
Will Beckham Injury Open Door For Johnson Or SWP?
David Beckham’s injury from this summer’s World Cup finals in South Africa is a blow for England’s chances of lifting the trophy, but will his absence open the door for City stars Shaun Wright-Phillips and Adam Johnson to shine at the tournament?
SWP will of course be a candidate to replace the former United man on the right wing but will face competition from Tottenham’s Aaron Lennon, who has been in fine form for the North London club this season.
But SWP could also find opposition in the face of team-mate Adam Johnson, who came off the bench to score a stunning goal in City’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland on Sunday. City manager Roberto Mancini has already warned SWP that his place is under threat from the former Middlesbrough man and this could also extend to the national side.
Although Johnson only signed for the blues in January, he has put in a string of impressive performances which have no doubt caught the attention of England manager Fabio Capello and he is being tipped to make the journey to South Africa in the summer.
But Johnson’s versatility could mean he and SWP both make Capello’s final squad. His ability to play on either left or right flank will surely have been noted by the Italian, who will be eager to fill the gap on the left wing that has been void of a left footed player for several years.
And with the likes of Peter Crouch scoring for fun in an England shirt and Wayne Rooney finally learning how to head the ball, a good couple of wingers will be exactly what England need if they are to stand any chance of lifting the trophy for the first time since 1966.
With a possible place in the World Cup squad, that should be enough incentive for both to perform at their highest level for the blues as we make our final push for fourth place.
Classic Match – Post SWP Blues Hit The Top
It was August 2005. City’s prized asset Shaun Wright-Phillips had just moved to Chelsea for a record incoming fee of £21m and City had replaced him with the ageing Andy Cole and the lightning fast yet erratic Darius Vassell.
The blues had made a decent start to the season, with one draw and a win while Sunderland had lost their opening two games and it already looked like being a long, hard season for the Black Cats.
The blues took the lead after just ten minutes through Vassell, who never lost a game in which he scored for City. Future bad-boy Joey Barton played a superb ball to Vassell who slotted past Kelvin Davis to score his first gaol for the blues. It had been coming as the blues had dominated the opening exchanges, with Cole forcing Davis into a third minute save.
Sunderland’s French striker Anthony Le Tallec then had a golden opportunity to level on 22 minutes but fired straight at David James in the City goal. Minutes later, the same man opted to head a cross that would have been easier to kick as it was so close to the ground. Had he opted to use his foot it would almost certainly have meant a Sunderland equaliser.
His mistake was compounded ten minutes later when Trevor Sinclair made it 2-0 with a fine curling strike with his right foot which eluded Davis and sent the visiting City fans dreaming of a place at the top of the table by 4.45 that afternoon.
But, in true style, City allowed the home side back into the game and leave the fans on tenterhooks, Le Tallec heading above Richard Dunne to pull a goal back.
Half Time: Sunderland 1-2 City
The blues should have scored a third after the interval after Sinclair played in Cole but Davis was again equal to it and made another fine save.
Sunderland pushed forward in search of an equaliser and Julien Arca had a free-kick brilliantly tipped away by James while Jonathan Stead threw away the chance to score his first Sunderland goal after failing to connect at the near post.
Dean Whitehead had Sunderland’s final chance to equalise but his header flew narrowly wide as Sunderland pressed the blues.
In the end, it was another defeat for Mick McCarthy but Stuart Pearce’s first full season as City manager had got off to a flying start.
Full Time: Sunderland 1-2 City
Teams:
Sunderland: Davis, Nosworthy, Stubbs, Breen, Arca, Whitehead, Miller, Welsh, Elliott, Gray (Stead 45), Le Tallec (Lawrence 82).
Subs Not Used: Robinson, Caldwell, Joe Murphy.
Man City: James, Mills, Dunne, Jordan (Onuoha 75), Thatcher, Sinclair, Barton, Reyna, Musampa (Jihai 80), Cole, Vassell.
Subs Not Used: De Vlieger, Sibierski, Wright-Phillips.
Big Match Stats – Sunderland
City visit Sunderland on Sunday with a pretty impressive recent record against the Black Cats both home and away.
Since losing their first Premiership meeting at the Stadium of Light in December 2003, City have won the following eight games, scoring 21 times and conceding only three goals during that period. 10 of those goals have been at the Stadium of Light.
But it is in the old First division that the majority of meetings have taken place and from the 50 league games played at Sunderland, City have only walked away with maximum points on 12 occasions. But goal scoring wasn’t a problem as City scored 72 times to Sunderland’s 95.
In all the various league guises, the two teams have met a total of 58 times at Sunderland, with the blues winning just 17 to Sunderland’s 31. They have met five times in the FA Cup at Sunderland, with both sides winning two games with one draw, while only one League Cup meeting has taken place at Sunderland with the home side winning it 1-0.
City’s Record At Sunderland
| Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| Premier League | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 |
| First Division (Old) | 50 | 12 | 10 | 28 | 72 | 95 |
| Second Division (Old) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| First Division (New) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Second Division (New | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| League Total | 58 | 17 | 10 | 31 | 87 | 105 |
| FA Cup | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| League Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Europe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Others | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| War | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Overall Totals | 65 | 19 | 11 | 35 | 91 | 116 |
Match Facts
The blues were the first competitive visitors to the Stadium of Light. They were also the first team to lose there as Sunderland won 3-1
The first game between the two took place at Hyde Road in December 1899. City won 2-1.
But City had to wait until September 1907 for their first win at Roker Park but it was worth it. The blues ran out 5-2 winners, which is still City’s biggest win at Sunderland.
Their heaviest defeat at Sunderland was also by the same scoreline in September 1929.
The lowest ever attendance for a match between the two at Sunderland was just a paltry 6,000 in April 1900.
Sunderland’s biggest attendance for a home game against the blues came during an FA Cup 5th Round replay in February 1973. 51,782 witnessed the Black Cats win 3-1, Francis Lee scoring City’s only goal.
Other Sunderland Related Stuff
It was against the Black Cats that City scored their final goal at Maine Road, scored by the late Marc-Vivien Foe.
It will be exactly 21 years since City’s last win at Roker Park. David White scored two goals in a 4-2 win, one of which coming direct from a corner. Nigel Gleghorn and Trevor Morley got the others.
The Stadium of Light got its name due to the fact that the ground was built on the old Wearmouth colliery. The ‘light’ part refers to a miner’s lamp as many Sunderland fans used to work in the mines in the area.
Sunderland nicknames have been, amongst others, the Rokerites or the Rokermen as well as the Black Cats. In 1997, a vote was cast to decide on a permanent nickname and Black Cats won it.
Acceptance Time For SWP
Shaun Wright-Phillips is walking a very thin line with the City supporters. Hailed as a hero on his return from Chelsea last season, his current contract situation could end with the blues fans turning on the diminutive winger.
In 2005, SWP left the club to join Chelsea in a £21m deal which angered loyal blues supporters, with many feeling that SWP had been ‘persuaded’ to join the Londoners. While most of us knew at the time that SWP would leave the club, it was the manner of his departure which left us with a bitter pill to swallow.
But the architect at the time looked like being his adoptive father, Arsenal legend Ian Wright, and with Wright’s recent comments surrounding Brian Marwood and Garry Cook, it looks likely that SWP will be leaving the club again.
The problem is surrounding a new contract and the vast amounts of money that have been invested in the club. SWP re-signed for the blues last summer just days before the takeover from ADUG and therefore missed out on the kind of contract, and money, that some of the more recent signings would have been offered, such as Gareth Barry or Carlos Tevez.
It goes without saying that SWP, as well as many other seniors who signed before the takeover, wants to be in the same bracket but his rejection of a reported £70,000 a week contract, which is an alleged £10,000 pay rise, is an insult to both club and supporters.
What the England winger, and probably his adopted father, doesn’t realise is that this is likely to be the best deal he will be offered. It is highly unlikely that, at 28, SWP will be courted by the likes or Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid or Barcelona. Even if someone does come in for him in the summer, it would be amazing if they offered the £100,000 per week contract he is seeking. It’s just not going to happen and the sooner he and Ian Wright realise this, the quicker the contract situation can be resolved.
The club are not going to change their mind. Gone are the days of being held to ransom by players holding out for better deals. SWP is not irreplaceable and should he decide to hold out for a better deal that will never arrive, he will quickly find himself frozen out of the team and in doing so damage his chances of appearing at the World Cup.
It would be a shame if the City career of one of the supporter’s most favourite player in recent years should end in this way. The fans watched him leave once and forgave him for that considering the club circumstances at the time.
But once was understandable. Twice will be unforgivable.
Blues Must Avoid Slip At Sunderland
City will travel to Sunderland on Sunday knowing a slip in the North East will give Spurs the edge in the race for fourth place.
The blues recorded a superb win at Chelsea last time out and should be confident of securing another three points at the Stadium of Light. But City need to be aware of complacency ahead of the game, given Sunderland’s current position in relation to the blues.
The win at Stamford Bridge gave the blues a league double over Chelsea and proved that the blues can live with the best. From six games played against the top four sides, City have won three and drawn two so far this season. But it was the result at Chelsea that set the standard for the remainder of the season.
That standard needs to continue on Sunday against a Sunderland side that only recorded their first win of 2010 on Tuesday with a 4-0 home win over Bolton. The Black Cats scored after just 41 seconds but it was a second half Darren Bent hat-trick that secured the win that moved them further from the relegation zone.
With Spurs at home to Blackburn on Saturday, City cannot afford any slip on Sunday and will again look to Craig Bellamy and Carlos Tevez to provide the spark that will put the blues on the road to a fifth away win of the season.
Man City News 24/7Partners
-