Wigan v City – Blues Aiming For Fourth

City travel to Wigan on Sunday knowing that a good win could propel them into fourth in the Premier League table following Saturday’s results.

But the blues will have to produce a first win at the DW Stadium and their second win of the season if they want to place themselves among the early leaders of the Premiership. Away form will be a crucial factor for City this season and after an opening day draw at Spurs and defeat at Sunderland, City will be looking to secure a win against their Lancashire rivals.

Wigan have started to turn their season around in the last few weeks following their horror start to the season which saw them lose both their opening games of the season 4-0 to Blackpool and 6-0 to Chelsea, both at home.

Any win for City will leave them in fourth place by Sunday night, depending on Chelsea’s result against Blackpool and Liverpool’s score at home to Liverpool. A win for Wigan will lift The Latics out of the relegation zone.

Team News

City will give a late fitness test to Emmanuel Adebayor after the striker missed Thursday’s 2-0 win over Salzburg in Austria. Jerome Boateng looks likely to miss out again but Roque Santa Cruz is back in contention. The striker was not included in City’s 25 man European squad for this season.

Wigan have a doubt over Victor Moses but hope he will play some part in the game while Gary Caldwell will definitely miss the game through injury.

Teams

Wigan (From): Kirkland, Al Habsi, Gohouri, Stam, Boyce, Alcaraz, N’Zogbia, Diame, McArthur, Figueroa, Cleverley, McCarthy, Watson, Thomas, Rodallega, Boselli, Moses, Di Santo, Gomez, Golobart, S Caldwell.

Man City (From): Hart, Given, Taylor, Zabaleta, Richards, K Toure, Kompany, Boyata, Bridge, Cunningham, De Jong, Vieira, Wright-Phillips, Y Toure, Silva, Barry, Milner, Johnson, Tevez, Jo, Adebayor, Santa Cruz.

MCB Predictions:

Pete:

Although City don’t have a good record at Wigan, we’re due a win there soon and I think it will come on Sunday. City will rough it out against Wigan’s physical side and emerge with a 2-0 win courtesy of Carlos Tevez and David Silva

Wigan 0-2 City

Jake:

The DW Stadium hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for City over the years with our Premier League record standing at won two drew three and lost five. But Wigan have scored only once at home this season and I fancy our defence to stifle them tomorrow. City were solid and didn’t really have to reach top level on Thursday night to beat Salzburg, so hopefully the players will be fit and raring to go for tomorrow’s game. I fancy us to score a couple of goals tomorrow and take the three points back to Manchester. Carlos Tevez must be desperate to get a goal after his embarrassing miss against Sunderland and with his record against Wigan being five goals in six meetings, I fancy our captain to get us rolling tomorrow.

Prediction – Wigan Athletic 0 – 2 Manchester City (Tevez and Milner)   

Callum:

Much need 3 points. Anything else wouldn’t be enough. We played superbly in the week with some key players rested, and we need to carry on this momentum at a bit of a bogey team. Chelsea next so Mancini may be under a bit of pressure if we draw (or even lose!!) against Wigan. My prediction…

Wigan 0-3 Man City

Brian:

City should win 2 nil that’s if it’s the same City we all watched dismantle
Liverpool, if we get the Sunderland or Blackburn side may be cause for worry. I agree with Brian Kidd and his opinions on the team needing more time to gel as a unit but in football time is as valuable as 3 points in the Premier league race.
The away victory in Salzburg on Thursday night will give the team the lift and belief that Sundays game against Wigan is one that can won and 3 points put under the belt. With Spurs winning again today 3-1 against Wolves the pressure is on to step up the pace for the top 4 finish we City fans go to bed dreaming of.

C’mon City.

Wigan 0-2 City