Manchester City v Sunderland Team News and Prediction
Manger quotes, player quotes, team news and prediction ahead of Manchester City v Sunderland in the Premier League
What the Players are saying:
Manchester City striker, Edin Dzeko – “It’s too early to say if Sunday’s result will decide where the title ends up because we still have six games to play and Liverpool and Chelsea both have four left. People talk about pressure and such like, but that doesn’t really matter – just who wins the most games between now and the end of the season. I firmly believe, like the last time we won the title, that it will go right to the wire.”
Sunderland midfielder, Lee Cattermole – “You can’t write off games like Manchester City and Chelsea, teams have been there in the past and won, but if we are to stay up we have to start picking points up. We’ll keep going and that’s the type of performance we’ll demand from each other.”
What the managers are saying:
Manchester City boss, Manuel Pellegrini – “Of course I said before the game that this is not the end of the Premier League,” he said. “Liverpool have to play four games more, if they win 13 or 14 games in a row maybe they deserve to win the title, but we are going to continue fighting to the end. We play on Wednesday (against Sunderland) one of our postponed games, we can be just one point behind point behind Liverpool … if we win those two games (in hand), and they have to play Chelsea against Liverpool.”
Sunderland boss, Gus Poyet – “I said many times I cannot promise I will get this club safe because it would be silly. It would be lying to you,” said Poyet. “But I’m going to leave it a better club, and we are a better club from the moment I got here. There is a better understanding of what our football is about, what we need to do, the respect for the fans and the way we behave, but it’s not enough.”
Manchester City v Sunderland Team News:
City are set to be without Yaya Toure with a groin strain. The influential midfielder limped off at Liverpool and there has been talk he could miss the rest of the season. Argentine striker Sergio Aguero made his return to the side as a substitute at Anfield and he could be in line for a first start in more than a month after proving his fitness.
Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher is highly doubtful to feature on Wednesday as he continues to suffer with an ankle problem while Phil Bardsley is suspended.
Form and Prediction:
City will head into the game on the back of a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Liverpool. Pellegrini’s men struggled in the first half against an energetic Reds team fuelled by the emotion of the Hillsborough tribute took team to town. A second half fight-back was not enough in the end as the Reds snatched a late win. The result left the club 7 points off top spot but with their destiny out of their hands, despite two games in hands on those above them.
Sunderland meanwhile have been in free-fall of late, the January form that saw the club secure a place in the Capital One final a distant memory. The Black Cats have lost their last five on the trot and have picked up just one point since they lost to City in the Capital One Final.
Gus Poyet’s men beat City 1-0 when the two sides met in the league in November and drew 3-3 with Wednesday’s hosts at the Etihad in 2012, however given recent form you would expect City to get back on track.
City to win 4-1.
