“We are still in four competitions so as a team I think we are doing well”.
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Playmaker David Silva is set for his first start in two months after featuring for over 80 minutes in the 4-1 League Cup quarter-final win over Championship side Hull on Tuesday. Mark Hughes men will look to their attack to breach Manchester City’s defence since it is probable that they will concede goals against Manchester City’s rampaging forward line.
While their league form hasn’t been terrific, they’ve rewarded themselves with a good performance against Sheffield Wednesday to enter the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup, thanks to goals from Ibrahim Afellay and Phil Bardsley. “That depends on the style, in the work you do, but it is important not to give advantage in the options you have to buy those players”.
After 14 games, just two points separate Manchester City, Leicester City, Manchester United and Arsenal, with Tottenham on their coat-tails and Liverpool six points off the summit in sixth place.
Kevin De Bruyne has admitted he did not to expect to play as much as he has for Manchester City following his big-money summer move from Wolfsburg.
The Capital One Cup offers Liverpool and Stoke City the chance to win the first trophy of the season.
“We didn’t play well today”.
Manchester City have not won on the road since beating Crystal Palace on September 12, which makes it hard to understand how they find themselves at the top of the Premier League. I’m very pleased with how things are going.
Besides Aguero, City will also be this weekend without the suspended Eliakim Mangala and the injured Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri, Pablo Zabaleta and Patrick Roberts. “Hopefully, other players come back so that we can have an even stronger team”.
It’s important to be near – if you can be at the top of the table it is better – but at least be near the top of the table, because after that you start again with Champions League and with demanding games during the mid-week.
“We just watched the game from last season [a 4-1 win] and we played very well”, he said.
Mahrez’s game, conversely, is more about close control and tricky footwork, making him a better fit stylistically with those higher up the food chain.
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Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross is back after serving a one-match suspension, but Peter Crouch is a doubt with a hamstring injury.
