Sunderland v Man City

[Whitechapel]

Match day chat.

 

[JimJams]

Would very much like City to continue their (relatively) poor away form. Very much.
Don't expect it though, 0-2.

 

[Stevencc]

You'd expect City to win this one quite comfortably but there is the extraneous variable of there actually being fans in attendance, something they just aren't used to, so this one might not go according to script.

 

[Tesl]

We lost this fixture 1-0 four years in a row. I hate Sunderland and desperately hope this is finally the year they are relegated.

So I guess I'm predicting a 1-0 loss. Hoping to jinx it so it doesn't happen again.

 

[JimJams]

Didn't realise you'd done that badly in this fixture. Let's start a bit of a tradition here, please.

 

[silkyman]

We lost this fixture 1-0 four years in a row. I hate Sunderland and desperately hope this is finally the year they are relegated.

So I guess I'm predicting a 1-0 loss. Hoping to jinx it so it doesn't happen again.

That was a couple of years back. Won the last two trips there 4-1 and since the last 1-0 defeat it's P6 W5 D1 L0 F20 A8

So...

Yeah. Probably 1-0 to them!

Be interesting to see the attacking formation. Young Iheanacho has certainly given him something to think about. Worth two up front? The kid has linked up well with Aguero before and is looking a player.

 

[Tesl]

I trust Pelligrini to do the right thing with Nacho. I don't know if he should play again days after the FA cup, but I think he should be playing as many minutes as anyone else is doing.

 

[silkyman]

Last time City made it public knowledge that the manager was leaving before a trip to the North East, they lost 8-1.

 

[Tesl]

We've been outplayed this half, fortunate to be leading. We really do depend on Aguero more now than I think we've ever done, he was never going to miss once the ball got through to him.

 

[Tesl]

20 minutes left and I don't recall us having a shot this half ...

We are defending pretty well to be fair, but you just can't trust us to keep a clean sheet. Aiming to win 1-0 is a really dangerous strategy for us.

 

[G.B]

always liked city me

 

[Tesl]

Not used to seeing us time wasting at the end like that, good stuff. Sunderland were the better side and we scored from the only shot on target I can remember.

It's happened to us here 4 times before in recent years so somehow feels like it is fair enough!

 

[silkyman]

Atwell was fucking awful as usual. But a good, gritty defensive performance when it was needed. Some great saves from Hart, too.

I think winning a war of attrition like that was exactly what City needed this week. Absolutely no evidence of the players downing tools or not wanting to put their bodies on the line.