Date: Wednesday, January 1 Venue: Liberty Stadium Kick-Off: 12:45 Can Manchester City keep up their title challenge when they travel to Swansea for the first Premier League game of 2014?
Team News
Swansea will continue to be without Michu, with the midfielder not expected back in action until February with an ankle injury. Nathan Dyer also misses out with an ankle injury, while long-term absentees Michel Vorm and Garry Monk remain sidelined. Manager Michael Laudrup has reported no fresh injuries. Manchester City will be without David Silva through suspension after the winger picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the win over Crystal Palace, and serves a one-match ban. Defenders MartÃn Demichelis and Micah Richards (both hamstring) are also out, while top scorer Sergio Aguero continues his recovery from a calf injury. (Premier League.com)
Key Stats
Swansea City were defeated 3-0 the last time these sides met in the Premier League, on December 1 at the Etihad. Swansea have only won one league game of their last six, their last win coming against Newcastle at the beginning of December. Edin Dzeko's goal against Crystal Palace at the weekend means that City have now broken their own Premier League record by scoring 54 goals in 19 games. City have now scored in 60 consecutive home league games, and netted eight times in their three away games in December.
Likely Line-Ups
Swansea Tremmel, Chico, Davies, Williams, Rangel, Shelvey, Canas, De Guzman, Hernandez, Routledge, Bony Man City Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy, Nasri, Toure, Fernandinho, Navas, Negredo, Dzeko
Match Preview
Swansea play host to Manchester City in the first Premier League game of 2014 with both sides needing a win for very different reasons. A victory for the visitors would send them top of the league while a win for the home side would be only their first in six games, with Michael Laudrup's side on a worrying slide in form at present. The Swans have looked fragile without the influential Michu, losing two and drawing one of the three games the Spaniard hasn't been in the side in December. And Laudrup will know that though his side are 11th, too many more poor results could land his side in hot water at the bottom. City meanwhile have no such troubles and could and probably should take top spot on Wednesday - having already beaten their New Year's Day opponents 3-0 this season. I'm expecting a repeat scoreline here. Prediction: 0-3
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.
