Hooray, the football season is upon us and we wish all our local teams, apart from United, Bolton and Wigan the very best for the new season.
Manchester City’s new look team travel to Ewood Park in search of three points that will start the season in fine style.
The blues only won two away games in the whole of last season but after a summer of squad strengthening, Mark Hughes will be looking to gain a first three points of the campaign.
The blues will give debuts to Kolo Toure in defence and Gareth Barry in midfield, while up front, Mark Hughes will have less of a selection headache with Roque Santa Cruz injured and Emmanuel Adebayor doubtful. Carlos Tevez should make his debut after recovering from a minor injury and could play alongside Craig Bellamy, who will face a former club, in attack.
Blackburn will give a late fitness test to Ryan Nelson while David Dunn, the player who claimed Rovers will kick lumps out of the blues, is out injured.
Stats
City last won at Ewood Park in 2003, when goals from Michael Tarnat, Joey Barton and Nicolas Anelka gave the blues a 3-2 win.
The blues have won only once on the opening day in five seasons, a 2-0 win at West Ham under Sven Goran Eriksson.
The last game between the two sides was played at Eastlands when City won 3-1 thanks to goals from Caicedo, Robinho and Elano. Only one of those goal scorers have survived the summer clearout.
Blackburn have the edge in Premiership games, winning 5 games to City’s four.
Blackburn Rovers (from): Robinson, Brown, Jacobsen, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Khizanishvili, Warnock, Olsson, Diouf, Hoilett, van Heerden, Doran, Nzonzi, Andrews, Pedersen, McCarthy, Roberts, Di Santo.
Manchester City (from): Given, Zabaleta, Dunne, Toure, Ben Haim, Onuoha, Bridge, De Jong, Barry, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Weiss, Robinho, Adebayor, Bellamy, Tevez, Richards, Garrido, Etuhu, Vidal, McGivern, Petrov, Benjani, Taylor.
Danger Man: Benni McCarthy
My prediction:
Much was made last season about City on their travels but this is a new season and I think the blues will be too strong for Blackburn on Saturday.
Blackburn 1-3 City