Saturday Feb 5th
K.O 3PM
Winter, it seems, has been going on forever. So it feels with this interminable run of games against sides from the Midlands. Leicester, Notts County in the cup. The needlessly nailbiting finale to the home tie with Wolves. The successive, frustrating away trips to Birmingham's premier league sides. So after a disappointing run of late, what better remedy than to face a side who have heaped misfortune and embarrassment on the Blues on numerous occasions? West Brom, they of the Black Country (or Bete-Noir Country as it could well be known to City).
Granted, City gave the Baggies a bit of a kicking at The Hawthorns earlier in the season, with Italian forward Mario Balotelli scoring twice and then getting himself sent off for good measure. Add to this West Brom's alarming dip in form - four defeats from six so far in 2011 - and there should be a good level of optimism that the Blues can get back to winning ways.
The caveat to this though, is that the Baggies have racked up a few impressive results away from home so far this season, including a brilliant 2-3 victory over The Great and Pure Arsenal at the Emirates, and fully-deserved 2-2 draw with that team from Stretford.
Last time out, WBA needed a late equaliser from Marc-Antoine Fortune to rescue a point away at Wigan, with top scorer and bargain signing Peter Odemwingie netting their first. Nigerian Odemwingie has looked an impressive addition to the West Brom side since his arrival from Lokomotiv Moscow, scoring nine goals so far in the league and showing skill and determination in equal amounts. The City rearguard, who to Mancini's immense chagrin have looked extremely fragile in recent games, will have to keep a close watch on Odemwingie if they want to keep their manager happy with a clean sheet.
Injury wise, Micah Richards misses out after sustaining concussion during the Birmingham match - all the more disappointing as Richards has started showing glimpses of his undoubted ability in recent weeks. What is perhaps more worrying is the doubt over Nigel de Jong's fitness. The Dutch midfielder is integral to the Blues to the extent that City probably miss him more than any other player when he is absent. The control he regularly exerts over central midfield allows the forward players a platform to build attacks on, and disrupts opposition moves in the embryonic stages. It is no coincidence that Birmingham came back into Wednesday night's game after de Jong left the pitch at half time.
For City, three points from this fixture are absolutely vital, as the cushion built up over Spurs and Chelsea by the good Christmas run of form has all but disappeared. Just as important however, is a clean sheet, a solid defensive performance and more, much more cohesion from the attacking players. The understanding that was blossoming between Tevez, Silva and Yaya Toure seems to have been disrupted. perhaps in part by the arrival of Edin Dzeko, but they will have to adapt to the Bosnian's play pretty sharpish as there is a certain away game coming up that City will have to be firing on all cylinders for to stand a chance of coming away with the points.
Finally, Manchester lost one of its own this week - a true-blue Fallowfield lad who played a key role in the slew of trophies the Club won in the late sixties and early seventies. Neil Young may be gone, but the whole world can rest assured he will be immortalised in the illustrious history of Manchester City - a club as mercurial as the talent Nelly himself possesed.
Come on City, let's do this one for Neil.
