Date: Sunday, December 1 Venue: Etihad Stadium Kick-Off: 16:10 Can Manchester City continue their ruthless Premier League form following their 6-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur?
Team News
Manchester City will be without Matija Nastasic for the visit of Swansea City, with the defender expected to be ruled out for the next three weeks with a calf injury. Captain Vincent Kompany is also out, as he has not yet fully recovered from his thigh problem. Swansea forward Wilfried Bony is set to be sidelined for several weeks after injuring his hamstring in last night's defeat to Valencia. Angel Rangel is also missing with a calf problem but Wayne Routledge is fit again. (bbc)
Key Stats
Swansea have lost on their last seven visits to Manchester City. Their last win there was a 2-1 victory in an old Second Division match in March 1951. City are the only team in any of the four English leagues to have a 100% home record. Swansea have performed better away than at home in this season's Premier League, winning three of their six matches, including at Fulham last weekend. The Swans have scored 17 league goals so far in 2013-14, exactly half of Manchester City's total of 34 goals.
Likely Line-Ups
Man City Hart, Zabaleta, Lescott, Demichelis, Clichy, Nasri, Toure, Fernandinho, Navas, Negredo, Aguero Swansea Vorm, Davies, Chico, Williams, Taylor, Shelvey, Dyer, De Guzman, Routledge, Britton, Hernandez
Match Preview
Manchester City go into Sunday's clash with Swansea City in boisterous mood. Last weekend, they crushed the life out of Tottenham Hotspur 6-0, and midweek saw off Viktoria Plzen with the sort of performance that suggests they may go far in this season's Champions League. They also take on a Swans side who haven't beaten them at home since 1951, and who have been stripped of several key players through injury. The likes of Michu and Wilfried Bony won't play any role on Sunday and you have to worry for this Swansea side, who may be forced into playing without a recognised centre forward. City are the only side in any of England's top four divisions to have an undefeated home record this season and I don't see that changing here. Prediction: 3-0
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
