MD7: 29.09 Man City - Newcastle

[kennethlindheim]

Manchester City will be without Rolando Bianchi for the visit of Newcastle United, who are missing Michael Owen.

The match, live on Sky Sports 1, pits two of the top five together, while victory for the home side would see City draw level at the summit with Arsenal, albeit for potentially just a few hours.

Sven Goran Eriksson will ring the changes for the game following his side's 1-0 win over Norwich City in the Carling Cup in midweek.

Bianchi, who started that game, has picked up a groin injury and misses out, so Emile Mpenza is likely to play as the lone striker.

Georgios Samaras' match-winning contribution against The Canaries is expected to see him dropped to the bench, with Martin Petrov coming back into the team.

Eriksson should also restore Vedran Corluka, Micah Richards and Javier Garrido to his defence, with Michael Johnson and Dietmar Hamann coming back into midfield.

Elano should return as the link man between midfield and attack, while Darius Vassell and Valeri Bojinov are still sidelined.

Kasper Schmeichel will replace Joe Hart in goal as Andreas Isaksson, who was on the bench against Norwich, is still feeling the effects of an ankle problem.

Owen missing

Former England coach Eriksson has admitted that he considered a bid for Owen in the summer, but the striker will not be able to demonstrate what the Swede missed out on.

Owen has been sent for a groin operation and is likely to be out for three weeks, although Mark Viduka should return to the Newcastle attack after missing the Carling Cup defeat to Arsenal.

Shola Ameobi picked up a groin complaint at Emirates Stadium, so Obafemi Martins is likely to partner Viduka up front.

Steve Harper is set to replace Shay Given in goal, with Sam Allardyce conceding the Irish keeper is unlikely to be happy with being left on the bench for Premier League games.

Geremi and Nicky Butt should come back into the side after being on the bench at Arsenal, while Emre made a substitute appearance in that game.

Joey Barton expects to make his debut for Newcastle in a week's time, while Peter Ramage, Stephen Carr, Damien Duff and Celestine Babayaro are still injured.

Sky Sports | Football | Match Preview | Man City v Newcastle - 29th September 2007

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Manchester City Team:
Joe Hart, Vedran Corluka, Richard Dunne, Micah Richards, Javier Garrido, Stephen Ireland, Michael Johnson, Dietmar Hamann, Martin Petrov, Emile Mpenza, Blumer Elano.

Newcastle Team:
Shay Given, Habib Beye, David Rozehnal, Steven Taylor, Charles NZogbia, Alan Smith, Geremi, Nicky Butt, Obafemi Martins, Mark Viduka, James Milner.

[Trim]

Man City 0-1 Newcastle

0-1, Oba Martins.

[Trim]

1-1, Petrov.

[Trim]

2-1, Mpenza.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Newcastle undone by Elano magic

Brazilian playmaker Elano masterminded a 3-1 win for Manchester City against Newcastle, maintaining Sven Goran Eriksson's 100 per cent record at Eastlands.

The £8m summer signing from Shakhtar Donetsk pulled the strings as City roared back from a goal down to move level on points with Arsenal, at least for a couple of hours.

Obafemi Martins, restored to the Newcastle side in place of the injured Michael Owen, put the Magpies in front with a well-taken goal, but City always looked dangerous and they soon equalised through Martin Petrov.

Petrov then teed up Emile Mpenza to head a second shortly after half time, before Elano capped a well-deserved victory with an outrageous free-kick two minutes from time.

Targets

Eriksson has steadfastly refused to set any targets for his team despite their amazing start to the campaign.

But on this evidence they look viable top six contenders, even if their chances of matching Manchester United and Arsenal, whom they joined at the top of the table, no matter how briefly, are slender.

Certainly, after two years of drab fare under Stuart Pearce, City are not complaining and it should not be long before the empty seats which have become such a regular feature of recent home games are filled.

Although Eriksson's men had recorded single-goal victories in all their previous home games this season, it always seemed unlikely that run would continue against a Newcastle side packed with talent, even without Michael Owen, but without an away clean sheet in 10 months.

The return of Shay Given was a big call by Magpies boss Sam Allardyce given how well Stephen Harper has been doing but the Republic of Ireland star justified the decision with a string of excellent saves, most notably to deny Elano and Ireland either side of the two first-half goals.

Sven-Goran Eriksson certainly swooped under the radar when he splashed out £8million of Thaksin Shinawatra's cash on the 26-year-old Elano, who had been strutting his stuff in relative obscurity at Shakhtar Donetsk.

A international regular for Brazil, Elano has a touch of class well beyond the norm. His vision and touch are a delight to see and his promptings kept Newcastle's defence on their toes.

Aside from the inspired volley which brought an equally impressive response from Given, Elano also sent Ireland scurrying away twice, spotting off-the-ball runs that had gone completely unnoticed by beleaguered Magpies left-back Charles N'Zogbia.

On the first occasion, Ireland kept his nerve and rolled a cross to the far post which invited Petrov's clinical finish.

The second should really have seen City snatch an interval lead but Given stood strong and blocked his fellow countryman's effort with his chest.

Without doubt, Given was the busier keeper but England Under-21 international Joe Hart, preferred to Kasper Schmeichel by Eriksson, was hardly unemployed.

The £800,000 signing from Shrewsbury could so easily have been embarrassed when a poor first touch left the ball rolling agonisingly along the line as he was momentarily stranded the other side of his post.

Hart kept his cool in admirable fashion and was able to clear, which was just as well as by that stage he had already been beaten by Martins.

Micah Richards has barely put a foot wrong during his astonishing rise to international stardom over the past 18 month.

But the City defender found himself on the wrong side of Martins as Geremi lifted a hopeful pass to the edge of the box and the half yard of space was all the Nigerian required to control, then finish in sublime fashion.

Richards had earlier escaped a rash challenge on James Milner, which could easily have presented Newcastle with a penalty, so it seems the 19-year-old is not infallible after all.

Both Eriksson and Allardyce would have wanted to make a flying start to the second period but only the Swede got his wish as City seized the initiative within 90 seconds of the re-start.

N'Zogbia's unhappy day continued with an aimless header towards the touchline which Petrov was on to in a flash, outpacing Steven Taylor down the left flank before delivering a pin-point cross.

With N'Zogbia still out of position, Mpenza was totally unmarked as he stooped to finish.

Newcastle gradually increased the pace as they hunted an equaliser but the major threat was on their goal.

It took a just-legal challenge by Habib Beye on Richards to deny the youngster a clear run on goal. Then, when City countered once more, Richards stepped inside Jose Enrique but scuffed his shot badly.

Mpenza volleyed Ireland's cross wide, then had a shot blocked by Rozenhal as a frenetic contest reached a suitably frantic finish, with Elano providing the fitting ending.

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