City take on Spurs in a match that will have a huge bearing on who finishes fourth in this season’s Premiership.
A win for City, together with victory at West Ham on Sunday will guarantee Champions League football next season at Eastlands, while a Spurs win will leave the Londoners four points clear of City going into the weekend’s final games.
Spurs will be looking to win fourth place after they were denied on the final day of the 2005/06 season when many of their players fell ill through food poisoning prior to their final game, ironically at West Ham, City’s final opponents.
City boss Roberto Mancini has responded to his Spurs counterpart’s comments about the pressure being on City by saying “There is no pressure. It is a football match, not a war. Wednesday’s game will probably decide where we finish this season. If we win we have probably a 70-80% of getting fourth.”
Team News
City will be without Joleon Lescott who was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury, while Michael Johnson and Martin Petrov are also still injured. Marton Fulop will play his second game in place of the injured Shay Given. Gareth Barry could also return to the team after missing
Former City defender Vedran Corluka and Nico Kranjcar both have ankle injuries while Carlo Cudicini has a broken wrist and will miss the game. So too will Jonathan Woodgate who is out with a groin strain. Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is doubtful as is Ledley King.
Teams:
City (from): Nielsen, Fulop, Onuoha, Richards, Kay, Boyata, Kompany, Toure, Bridge, Garrido, Sylvinho, Adam Johnson, Cunningham, Zabaleta, De Jong, Barry, Vieira, Bellamy, Wright-Phillips, Tevez, Santa Cruz, Adebayor, Ibrahim, Nimely.
Spurs (from): Gomes, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Bale, Kaboul, Huddlestone, Bentley, Lennon, Modric, Pavlyuchenko Gudjohnsen, Defoe, Crouch, Jenas, Alnwick, Palacios, Bassong, Walker, Rose, Livermore.
League Form (Last Five)
City: WWLDW
Spurs: LWWLW
Over The Blue Moon Prediction: City 1-0 Spurs
Both teams will go for the win but I predict City will edge a pulsating game
