Premier League preview: Manchester City v Sunderland

Roberto Mancini

Manchester City are beginning to realise what it is like to be the defending champions of the Premier League.

Last season, when the title looked out of sight, they played with nothing to lose and managed to overtake rivals Manchester United to seal the title in dramatic style on the final day.

This season however, they are finding the going a little tough.

Yes, they are still unbeaten in the league, but they have yet to fully click in matches, and juggling the Champions League hasn’t helped their cause either.

A last-minute defeat to Real Madrid and a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund see City winless in Europe, and a thumping 4-2 home defeat by Aston Villa sent them crashing out of the Capital One Cup.

In the league, three wins and three draws currently see them fourth in the table, and four points off pace-setters Chelsea.

Sure, there is plenty of time to cut the gap and regain composure, but City boss Roberto Mancini will want his talented side to start stamping their authority in matches.

Last time out, they needed an Edin Džeko winner a few minutes from time to see off Fulham at Craven Cottage, but something that has been worrying for City this season is the amount of goals they have conceded, and the lack of clean sheets.

They are yet to keep the opposition out, but when you look at the heroics of goalkeeper Joe Hart against Dortmund, you can see why they have struggled at the back.

Captain Vincent Kompany is arguably one of the league’s best defenders, but even the Belgian hasn’t been up to scratch, and whoever partners him in defence tends to wobble a bit as well.

Joleon Lescott was dropped for the Champions League match and replaced by Matija Nastasić, but Mancini will want to see his defence starting to help Hart out.

This weekend, City welcome Sunderland to the Etihad Stadium in the early kick-off, and the last time they faced one another, six goals were shared in a 3-3 thriller.

Sunderland are turning out to be the draw specialists during this campaign, having taken one point in each of the first four games. They did collect their first win last weekend in a tight 1-0 against Wigan.

If anyone is going to score for Sunderland, then it is their summer recruit from Wolves Steven Fletcher.

The 25-year-old Scot has begun his Sunderland career like a house on fire, scoring all five of their league goals.

However, should City thwart Fletcher, then Sunderland will need someone else to step up to the mark and start finding the back of the net.

Historically, Sunderland don’t tend to do well up at City.

The draw at the Etihad last year was the first time in seven visits that they managed to avoid defeat, and given that City are yet to get out of second gear, Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill will know that his players will have their work cut out.

Sunderland will fancy their chances of causing an upset though, given City haven’t kept a clean sheet, but if they do score, that would mean having to outscore City at home, which is another mission in itself.

The time has come for City to start showing that they are the Premier League champions, and they will just have the edge in this encounter.

Prediction: Manchester City 2 Sunderland 1

İsmail Vedat

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