Ewood Park
1 October 2011
City go into this game looking to maintain their fantastic start to the season. A start which has seen them accumulate 16 points from their first 6 games scoring 19 goals along the way (with 10 of those coming, significantly, away from the Etihad stadium). In stark contrast, Blackburn Rovers have had a dire start to their league campaign and find themselves in the bottom three with a mere 4 points. Scoring goals has been a major problem so far this season - half of their total of 8 goals were scored in the epic 4-3 win at home to a beleaguered Arsenal - a problem manager Steve Kean has tried to remedy with the £1.5m acquisition from Everton of striker Yakubu. Two goals on his début in the aforementioned game at home to Arsenal has given Rovers' fans a touch of optimism going into this crucial game. Their optimism may be tempered by news that their highly acclaimed central defender Scott Dann and former Real Madrid midfielder, Michel Salgado are major doubts for Saturday's encounter. They will also be without Martin Olsson who is suspended due to his dismissal against Newcastle United last week.
City look to put their European disappointment behind them and build on their solid domestic league form.
City have suspended Carlos Tevez because of his shameful mid-week shenanigans in Munich and Edin Dzeko looks set to partner Sergio Aguero as part of a four man attack which also includes player of the season (so far) David Silva and the ever-impressive Samir Nasri. Nigel de Jong is nearing fitness after his injury and will more than likely be seen snuggling up to his team mates on the bench. His presence back in the team (and in the dressing room) will be very welcome.
No one will forget what happened last time City played a mid-week European fixture then had to jump on the team bus for the following weekend's league match. Mancini will not want to see a repeat of that second-half capitulation - City went in at half time two to the good against a shaky Fulham side only to be pegged back to 2-2. The boss will want to see his team maintain their concentration for a full ninety minutes and not permit the type of complacency that cost the team two points at Craven Cottage to surface against Blackburn. It is a crucial game for City - anything less than three points will be seen as failure.
Roberto Mancini seems to have settled on a preferred starting eleven so expect to see Hart, Clichy, Kompany, Lescott, Richards, Barry, Yaya Toure, Silva, Nasri, Aguero and Dzeko lining up at 3 o'clock tomorrow.
My prediction: I can see nothing beyond a City victory tomorrow. With Carlos Tevez away from the match-day squad there should be no distractions and it would be nice to see Dzeko score the winner, as he did in this fixture last season. City are unbeaten in their last seven against Blackburn and expect them to make it eight. Blackburn boss Steve Kean lost his driving licence in August, will he lose his job in October?
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[/center]Blackburn Rovers 0 Manchester City 3
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