Team news for today's game against Fulham

Last updated : 20 September 2003 By Ben Collins
Last week's attacking line-up came good in the second half but now Keegan has to decide how he will deploy his new players away from home.

While Keegan insists he will not change tactics much, he is considering a change to the line-up.

City's manager said: "We are not the sort of side which will change the way we play. We went to Charlton for the opening season and played with a lone striker.

"But I don't consider that is defensive. When you have players like Antoine Sibierski in the side, as he was then, and Shaun Wright-Phillips with Trevor Sinclair as well you have plenty of people who can get forward and get you goals.

"We are not going to change so much the way we play, but the personnel we put in will change a little bit. The formation and the way we play may change a little bit too. But there will be no serious changes."

Steve McManaman excelled in last week's attacking line-up but Paul Bosvelt is fit after a stomach virus and may return.

But Macca is still guessing himself: "I think we will have to wait and see as to whether we go for a more defensive performance at Fulham on Saturday. But we will certainly be going down there to try and win the game, there is no doubt about that."

The playmaker added: "We certainly have to be intelligent the way we play. We are away from home and that is completely different to playing at home, no matter what anyone says.

"I was very excited last week, I just wanted to get my first game over and done with and a victory. We scored lots of goals and could have got more."

The most likely scenario is Bosvelt coming into midfield alongside Joey Barton and McManaman moving to a more advanced role behind lone striker, Nicolas Anelka.

Meanwhile, Chris Coleman has expressed he thoughts about his former manager to The Sun: “I had a good relationship with Kevin and Fulham needs to thank him a lot. He put the foundations in place and started the ball rolling.

“He is full of passion and is the best at making you feel 10 feet tall."

The Fulham boss confidently added: "He’s the best I’ve worked under in terms of man-management. But I’ll enjoy taking three points off him.”