Stoke v Man City

Last updated : 15 February 2010 By BBC Sport

Manchester City again expect be without Carlos Tevez, who has travelled to Argentina for family reasons.

Craig Bellamy (knee) and Vincent Kompany (groin) are unlikely to play, while Shaun Wright-Phillips, Stephen Ireland and Martin Petrov are doubtful.

 

Stoke

Stoke (from): Sorensen, Huth, Abdoulaye Faye, Wilkinson, Amdy Faye, Higginbotham, Collins, Lawrence, Sidibe, Whitehead, Delap, Diao, Kitson, Beattie, Fuller, Tuncay, Pugh, Whelan, Simonsen, Begovic.

Doubtful: Abdoulaye Faye (back), Lawrence & Wilkinson (knocks)

Injured: Etherington (knee)

Man City (from): Given, Taylor, Richards, Zabaleta, Onuoha, Toure, Lescott, Kompany, Boyata, Garrido, Sylvinho, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Adam Johnson, Vieira, Barry, De Jong, Petrov, Ibrahim, Adebayor, Santa Cruz, Bellamy.

Doubtful: Bellamy (knee), Kompany (groin), Ireland, Petrov & Wright-Phillips (knocks), Richards (calf)

Injured: M. Johnson (knee)

 

MATCH PREVIEW

If familiarity breeds contempt, these two sides will be sick of the sight of each other by the end of the month.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The spirit in our team gets stronger and stronger - when you are unbeaten in eight games, confidence is high

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stoke striker Mamady Sidibe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This will be their third meeting in under eight weeks, with another encounter to follow on Wednesday week, when the teams contest an FA Cup fifth-round replay.

Roberto Mancini's reign as Manchester City boss began with a comfortable win in the reverse league fixture on Boxing Day. But Sunday's Cup tie at Eastlands saw the Potters earn a deserved draw, suggesting City have made only limited progress under their new manager.

Mancini's record to date seems no better than that of predecessor Mark Hughes. The Italian has yet to cure City's defensive frailties, and defeats at Hull, Everton and Manchester United suggest his side are vulnerable away from home.

The trip to Stoke therefore looks a litmus test of their Champions League ambitions. If City, who are likely to be without key trio Carlos Tevez, Craig Bellamy and Vincent Kompany, can rule the Britannia it would send a real signal of intent to Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa.

But the Potters will feel Ricardo Fuller's equaliser at Eastlands means they have the momentum going into this match. They are unbeaten in eight league and cup games in 2010.

 

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Manchester City have won five of their last six league games against Stoke. The exception was a 1-0 loss at the Britannia last season.

• The last time the visitors won at the Britannia, in January 1999, the sides were playing in the third tier of English football. Shaun Goater started for Manchester City, but Gerard Wiekens got the only goal.

• It is 28 years and 15 games since the last league draw between these sides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have your say on this match

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stoke City

• The Potters have lost just one of their last 10 league and cup games at home.

• Stoke are unbeaten in eight league and cup matches in 2010. Their last defeat was 1-0 at home to Birmingham on 28 December.

• Only Portsmouth and Wolves have scored fewer than Stoke's 23 league goals this season.

Manchester City

• Roberto Mancini has lost three of his 12 games in charge (all competitions).

• Mark Hughes had lost two out of 21 games this season at the time of his sacking in December.

• Emmanuel Adebayor has netted in his last three league games, having scored only two goals in the previous four months.

 

 

LEADING GOALSCORERS

 

Stoke

Fuller: 6 goals (1 league); Etherington: 5 goals (3 league)

 

Man City

Tevez: 19 goals (13 league); Adebayor: 9 goals (9 league)

 

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Alan Wiley

Assistant referees: Andy Garratt & Trevor Massey

Fourth official: Mike Dean

 

 

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Stoke (D1-1 v Wigan, a): Sorensen, Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Delap (Fuller 60), Whelan, Whitehead, Etherington, Sanli (Lawrence 88), Sidibe (Beattie 88).

Subs Not Used: Begovic, Pugh, Diao, Collins.

Man City (W2-0 v Bolton, h): Given, Zabaleta, Toure (Lescott 55), Kompany, Bridge (Wright-Phillips 68), De Jong, Vieira, Barry, Adam Johnson (Sylvinho 84), Tevez, Adebayor.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Onuoha, Ireland, Petrov.

 

 

MOST RECENT MEETING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Man City 1-1 Stoke

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Man City scorer: Wright-Phillips 11

Stoke scorer: Fuller 57

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport