Preview: Fulham v Manchester City

MANCHESTER CITY travel to Fulham on Saturday afternoon for what will be an extremely tough test for the visitors - Martin Jol’s side have only failed to pick up points at Manchester United and West Ham so far this season.

City boss Roberto Mancini will look for redemption after a poor performance that saw his side lose 2-4 to Aston Villa in the League Cup on Tuesday night.

The midweek drubbing cost City their place in the competition Mancini is yet to win and so regular stars such as David Silva, Sergio Ageuro and Yaya Toure should return for the Premier League encounter as the Blues look to get back to winning ways. 

Team News

Fulham:

The Cottagers will be without Dimitar Berbatov for this fixture because of a hip injury which leaves him sidelined for the next two weeks. Mahamadou Diarra (knee) is also out of the Fulham side that have yet to concede at home this season, nor drop any points. Kieran Richardson, Ashkan Dejagah and Philippe Senderos all return to Jol’s squad but will not be rushed into a start against last season’s Premier League Champions.

Man City:

City will bring back several key players they had rested in midweek, as picking up points will be top priority for the underperforming big spenders. Samir Nasri will return to the side having recovered from a hamstring injury which left him out of the team who played Villa and Arsenal. New signing, Jack Rodwell will miss this game alongside Micah Richards (fitness) after the midfielder pulled out of Tuesday’s game in the warm up

Fulham Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Riether, Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Baird, Smith, Riise, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Karagounis, Ruiz, Petric, Rodallega, Trotta.

Man City Provisional squad: Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Maicon, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, K Toure, Nastasic, Kolarov, Clichy, Milner, Sinclair, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Nasri, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Tevez, Razak.

Quays News Prediction: 2-2 – It will be struggle for City today despite the return of some big names. Fulham will play to their strengths, which of late, is scoring plenty at home, which is why I can’t see City keeping a clean sheet.

By Liam McCallion