Manchester City vs. Swansea City [Premier League]

Manchester City defender Matija Nastasic is likely to miss the next three weeks with a calf injury.

Captain Vincent Kompany is fit again after a thigh problem but will not be ready to play against Swansea.

Swansea forward Wilfried Bony is likely to be out for several weeks after suffering a hamstring problem in Thursday's defeat by Valencia.

Angel Rangel misses out with a calf injury but Wayne Routledge is fit.


With the form that free-scoring Manchester City are in at the moment, they won't be just expecting to beat Swansea, they will fancy themselves to rattle a few goals past them.

With 41 goals in all competitions at home this season, Manuel Pellegrini's side are clearly full of confidence on their own turf, and I think the manager is now at the stage where he knows his best team.

Manchester City were devastating against Tottenham, with Jesus Navas coming in from the right and Samir Nasri from the left to support Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo up front.

But the defence hasn't looked as settled without Vincent Kompany, and of course the one big question is whether Pellegrini will play Joe Hart, who was not at fault for either of the two goals conceded in the Champions League in midweek.

Was Hart's selection against Viktoria Plzen the first step back for the England goalkeeper or will the manager go back to Costel Pantilimon?

Despite winning at Fulham last week, Swansea have been struggling a bit recently and their confidence will have been further dented by the Europa League defeat by Valencia on Thursday. Matters were made worse by the hamstring injury suffered by striker Wilfried Bony.

I don't see Swansea as a relegation team but they won't relish any length of time without both Michu and Bony.

How do you stop a side like Manchester City in their current form? That is the question facing Swansea, who will remember their first-ever game in the Premier League two-and-a-half years ago when they lost 4-0 in this fixture, with Aguero scoring twice on his debut.

The visitors have got a Herculean task. I think they have got to avoid an early goal or it may become a case of damage limitation.

Head-to-head

Swansea have lost on their last seven visits to Manchester City. Their last win there was a 2-1 victory in an old Second Division match in March 1951.
Swansea's first-ever Premier League match was at the City of Manchester Stadium in August 2011. Sergio Aguero scored two goals on his debut as City won 4-0 - and went on to win the title that season.


City have scored 26 goals in their six home league matches this season, more than any Premier League team has scored in total (i.e. home and away). Half of those 26 goals have come in the last two matches at the City of Manchester Stadium.
City are the only team in any of the four English leagues to have a 100% home record.
They have scored in 56 consecutive Premier League home games, 10 short of the record of 66 held by Manchester United.
City are looking to win back-to-back league matches for only the second time this season.
Among players with at least 40 Premier League goals, Sergio Aguero has the best minutes-per-goal ratio in the competition's history (119.5). The Argentine striker has scored 15 goals in his last 12 games for City (in all competitions).


Swansea have performed better away than at home in this season's Premier League, winning three of their six matches, including at Fulham last weekend.
The Swans have scored 17 league goals so far in 2013-14, exactly half of Manchester City's total of 34 goals.
All of Swansea's last 10 league goals have come in the second half.
They are looking to win back-to-back league matches for the first time since last December.
Swansea have won two, drawn two and lost two of their six league matches immediately following a midweek European match.