Man City vs Swansea
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Kick off: 4pm
Swansea City head to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City on Saturday (today) without a manager and winless in their last four Premier League outings.
The Swans have nosedived towards the relegation zone following a poor run of form, which ultimately cost Garry Monk his job at the Liberty Stadium just ahead of this daunting trip north.
Man City will head into matchday 15 sitting three points off surprise leaders Leicester City, but their form in recent weeks has been shaky to say the least.
Three wins in seven has not done too much to derail the Citizens’ campaign, in truth, as top spot in Group D was secured in the Champions League in midweek, while a place in the semi-final of the League Cup also awaits.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men are also in a decent enough position in the top flight, too, due to the unpredictable nature at the top this year which has seen every side – bar Leicester – underperform at one stage or another.
Victory over Borussia Monchengladbach last time out, inspired largely by the performance of Raheem Sterling, came at the perfect time for City just days after their worst showing of the campaign at Stoke City.
The Citizens are again without key men down the spine of their side, which proved to be too much to overcome at the Britannia, but on the back of their “best European night” the chance is now there to finally push on and reclaim top spot.
Swansea’s fanbase may have been pretty much split down the middle over the inevitable sacking of Monk earlier this week, yet chairman Huw Jenkins claimed that he was simply left with little choice following a slump in results.
Last season’s record finish in the Premier League looks a long way off at the moment, with the Swans now realistically in a relegation battle at this stage of the term after winning just one of their last 11 games.
While some on the outside have suggested that the Swansea hierarchy were a little hasty in making a decision, this is one club that can certainly not be accused of getting their appointments wrong too often.
From Kenny Jackett to Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rodgers to Monk, the Swans have a habit of defying the odds more times than not and overachieving on a season-by-season basis.
For a side out of form, there really is no place more daunting to visit at this moment in time than The Etihad, where Man City have won 13 of their last 15 games. Swansea, with five defeats and two wins in their last eight away outings, must also get back on the scoring trail after failing to find the net in seven of their last 11 outings, including four of the last five.
The problems are continuing to mount in South Wales, yet with two big home games to come either side of Christmas, this is not the time for Swansea to feel sorry for themselves at the wrong end of the division.
Manchester City possible starting lineup: Hart, Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Toure, De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling, Bony.
Swansea City possible starting lineup: Fabianski, Naughton, Bartley, Williams, Taylor, Shelvey, Ki, Montero, Sigurdsson, Ayew, Gomis.