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Preview – Borussia Dortmund v Man City, 7.45pm

If Manchester City are to get into the Europa League, they must go against the odds and defeat Dortmund when they travel to the Westfalenstadion. There is a catch however as they still need to rely on Real Madrid to beat Ajax.

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Balotelli slots home his penalty the last time the two teams met.

Team News:

Borussia Dortmund:

  • Jurgen Klopp has an almost fully fit squad from which to select, with fringe players Chris Lowe and Patrick Owomoyela the only players sidelined with injury.

Manchester City:

  • Mancini may encounter some serious problems as he is without any recognised left-backs with Gael Clichy (ankle) and Aleksander Kolarov (groin) both likely to miss the trip to Dortmund.
  • James Milner (hamstring) is out after picking up an injury at Wigan last week, while Jack Rodwell (hamstring) and Micah Richards (knee) are still a while away from a first-team return.
  • The Italian boss will have one eye on Sunday’s Manchester derby, so he could rest a few key players with one eye on the Premier League.

 

Domestic League Form Guide (Last 5 Matches)

B. Dortmund: W-W-W-D-D                           Man City:  W-W-D-W-D

 

Head to Head

 

B. DORTMUND

MAN CITY

WINS

0

0

DRAWS

1

GOALS SCORED

1

1

The only ever time these two sides have encountered each other was their group stage game back in October. The game ended 1-1 with Mario Balotelli scoring the equalizer via a controversial penalty with almost the last kick of the game.

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The Stats:

  • Borussia Dortmund attacker Marco Reus has scored the first goal of the game in three of his last four Champions League appearances.
  • The German outfit have conceded six goals from the 85th minute of games onward in their last seven Champions League matches, plus they have netted two in this period themselves.
  • Manchester City have won one and lost four of their previous European trips to Germany.
  • Dortmund have never been beaten by English opposition at home.
  • Manchester City must beat Dortmund and hope that Ajax do not beat Real Madrid if they are to qualify to play in the Europa League after Christmas.
  • Both teams are unbeaten in their past five games in all competitions.

 

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Preview: Man City v Ajax – Tuesday, 7:45pm

Manchester City will look at this game as a must win to keep their Champions League hopes afloat. Roberto Mancini's men have picked up just one point from their last three matches in Europe.

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Ajax goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer intercepts a header by Edin Dzeko.

Team News:

Man City:

  • Manchester City are missing Micah Richards (knee) and Maicon (ankle) at right-back, but Pablo Zabaleta returned to the bench against West Ham and could start here ahead of Kolo Toure.
  • Roberto Mancini confirmed that James Milner (hamstring) is unlikely to play while Joleon Lescott (back) will also miss out.
  • Javi Garcia is back in contention but David Silva and Jack Rodwell (both hamstring) continue to be sidelined.

Ajax:

  • Ajax could name the same team that beat City 3-1 in the reverse fixture in Amsterdam.
  • Playmaker Christian Eriksen looks set to continue as an unorthodox centre forward between Tobias Sana and Ryan Babel.
  • Niklas Moisander missed the 2-0 defeat against Vitesse due to suspension but should take his place back in central defence for this fixture.

 

Domestic League Form Guide (Last 5 Matches) 

Man City: W-W-W-W-D                                 Ajax:  W-D-D-D-L

 

Head to Head

 

MAN CITY

AJAX

WINS

0

1

DRAWS

0

GOALS SCORED

1

3

 

The Stats:

  • City will travel to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund but have the benefit of home fixtures against Ajax and Real Madrid.
  • Sergio Aguero has taken the joint-seventh most shots on target in the group stage so far, having been on target seven times. Manchester United winger Nani has equalled that mark, while Cristiano Ronaldo leads the way on 16 shots.
  • Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany have collected two yellow cards each in the opening three games and will face a one-match suspension if they are booked again.
  • Ajax collected eight points from a group containing Real Madrid, Lyon and Dinamo Zagreb last season but crashed out into the Europa League on goal difference.
  • Frank de Boer’s team exited that competition at the hands of Manchester United despite beating the Red Devils in the second leg at Old Trafford.
  • Finland defender Niklas Moisander is Ajax’s top scorer in the competition so far, having bagged goals against both City and Real Madrid.
  • Ajax currently sit fifth in the Dutch Eredivisie, nine points behind leaders PSV. They suffered a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Vitesse on Saturday.

 

Follow Tueday’s Champions League clash via the PlayUp app – view live commentary, and interact with other fans: CLICK HERE

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Team GB can still glitter without Goldenballs

by Mary Meyer

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The return of a British men’s football team to the Olympic arena after a hiatus of over half a century has been met with little fanfare. The eighteen man squad, which includes thirteen English players and five from Wales, has been disregarded because of the absence of a certain thirty-seven year-old midfielder hailing from Leytonstone adjacent to the Olympic Park in Stratford. However, Team GB manager Stuart Pearce has announced a squad brimming with potential and, even if the omission of ex-England captain David Beckham is a glaring oversight, we should not discount our medal chances.

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The side’s Olympic campaign kicks off with a friendly against Brazil on 20 July before three group games against Senegal, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay at Old Trafford, Wembley and the Millennium Stadium respectively, from Thursday July 26 (the day before the opening ceremony) to Wednesday August 1. Here are the players to watch.

The Veterans

The trio of over age players selected alongside the under-23s will give Team GB experience and proven quality across the pitch from defence to attack. Manchester City right-back Micah Richards, who is the junior member of the triumvirate at twenty-four, will also provide cover at centre-half; he will be keen to make an impact after being controversially left out of Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2012 squad. Welsh duo Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy will provide offensive flair and a sustained goal threat.

The Manchester United legend is the elder statesman of the squad at thirty-eight but the midfielder has defied age to elongate his Premier League career and should start on merit; he made 33 appearances for his club last season and remains an integral member of the Old Trafford squad. Compatriot Bellamy will compete for the captaincy after a stellar return season at Liverpool which saw the thirty-two-year-play a pivotal role in the side’s dual route to Wembley in the FA and Carling Cup Finals.

Champions League Contingent

Pearce has the luxury of being able to call upon a number of players from England’s Champions League representatives, including Ryan Bertrand of holder’s Chelsea who started in the final against Bayern Munich in May. Stamford Bridge team-mate Daniel Sturridge was poised to start for Team GB after just missing out on selection for the Euros in Ukraine and Poland but the forward has been struck down by meningitis so his involvement is in doubt.

Tom Cleverley of Manchester United should make the Olympic first eleven after an injury hit season. The attacking midfielder is tipped as Paul Scholes’ heir apparent for club and country and could make his name this summer. He started four consecutive games at the start of last season, including the 8-2 annihilation of Arsenal, before being sidelined with injury which saw him make only one further start.

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey will also hope to be named in the starting line-up; the Gunners man had an inconsistent 2011/2012 season and will be keen to re-establish the reputation which saw Arsene Wenger compete with Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes for his signature in 2008.

The Goalkeeper

Jack Butland of Birmingham City is the only member of England’s Euro 2012 squad to be included in Team GB and should claim the Number 1 jersey. The 19 year-old is widely tipped to be Joe Hart’s successor for the senior side even though his only professional experience to date has been in League Two with Cheltenham Town. Butland has made six appearances for the England under-21s and attracted interest from both Manchester City and Tottenham. Newly promoted Southampton have already had a bid turned down by The Blues this summer.

Swansea Clan

Joe Allen, Neil Taylor and Scott Sinclair of Swansea have all been included by Pearce alongside Spurs defender Steven Caulker who was on loan at the Liberty Stadium last season. The Welsh club is the most represented in the Olympic squad and the trio’s section is recognition for their individual and collective excellence throughout the 2011/2012 season which saw the promoted side finish eleventh in the Premiership.

The Team GB boss will hope his side can replicate the free-flowing football of Brendan Rodgers’ men and garner support from The Valleys as well as throughout England. The absence of Scottish and Northern Irish names may have been another own-goal from Pearce but he has a squad at his disposal which should medal and, in turn, cover up his own mistakes.

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Could this be the Three Lions line-up for Euro 2012?

We might have no manager, but these players could do a job for England

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How England lined up in the last qualifier - seven out of 11 make it into our line up

Goalkeeper – Joe Hart

The first name on the team sheet, Hart’s form for Manchester City this season has been exemplary, and he could yet be a league winner by the time the tournament starts. A worrying lack of depth in this department, however. Continue reading →

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Good Week – Bad Week

Moyes celebrates 10 years, City aren't celebrating anything

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David Moyes celebrates 10 years at Everton this week

Good Week

David Moyes

For a manager to reach a ten year anniversary at a football club in this day and age is a fine achievement, but to do it at a top flight side with scant resources is even more impressive. David Moyes is becoming synonomous with Everton like Sir Alex Ferguson is with Manchester United and Arsene Wenger is with Arsenal.

The Toffees marked the anniversary with a fine 1-0 over third placed Tottenham, perhaps a result and performance that epitomised Moyes’ reign. As ever the underdog, Everton more than matched their more illustrious and free spending opponents, took the lead and then defended resolutely to seal the three points.

To suggest that this is all Everton offer is unfair, but it is a credit to them that they have maintained their position among the top of the middle third of the Premier League.

Moyes is a master of managing expectations, something that has often been needed at Goodison Park. Long gone are the glorious 1980’s when the team was challenging for the league title, but any thoughts of relegation that so dominated the 1990’s are also seemingly long gone. Evertonian’s now know their teams limitations, and anything that surpasses them is met with glee.

The fourth place in 2004/05, when they finished above their fierce rivals Liverpool, will go down as Moyes’ greatest achievement to date, one that he may never better at Everton given the chasm in wealth that has appeared between them and the upper echelons of the Premier League.

This will be the Scotsman’s deepest concern about his future at Everton, and the lack of potential for growth would be one of the only reasons for Moyes to look for greener pastures. Big jobs are set to become available in the next two to three years, with Chelsea in the hunt for a new manager, Harry Redknapp supposedly off to take charge of England and Ferguson finally stepping down from Manchester United. These opportunities could test the resolve of the Everton board, and of Moyes himself.  He has earned himself an opportunity at a major footballing power.

For now though, Everton fans should make the most of their time with Moyes, and football fans should marvel at his one club longevity. With modern football so dependent on instant results, 10 years in the same job really is an achievement to be commended.

Manchester United

Like death and taxes, the only thing inevitable about a Premier League season is that by March, Manchester United will be somewhere near the top of the table. Their noisy neighbours may have led for the majority of the campaign, but following yesterday’s results, it is United, the seasoned thoroughbred, who have hit the front as we enter the final furlong.

It is so often said that experience of these positions is crucial when trying to win a championship, and that point is being perfectly displayed as City chase their first Premier League title and United seek their 13th. The performance against West Brom was by no means earth shattering, but the constant winning form, coupled with City’s all the more regular poor results, should send a haunting chill down any fan at the Etihad.

Bad Week

Manchester City

So as good as Manchester United’s day was yesterday, City’s was worse. You wouldn’t have picked Swansea away as the place where the pendulum would swing in the championship race, but Luke Moore’s header has ensured that it has. Two enduring images will survive the game – Micah Richards losing the plot when his goal was disallowed, and the crying City fan when Swansea scored – these could become as famous as the screaming Arenal fan after Marc Overmars’s goal beat United at Old Trafford in 1998. City need to recover and quickly – when United overtook City at the top in January last year, they didn’t relinquish their lead.

Harry Redknapp

The “Harry for England” train has hardly stopped, but it has certainly slowed down a little. Spurs have now lost three Premier League games in a row for the first time since Juande Ramos was in charge, and from being an outside bet for a league title, suddenly missing out on the Champions League doesn’t seem inconceivable. Tottenham need to get back to winning ways as quickly as possible, and Gareth Bale’s move back to the left wing would be a good place to start.

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Our England squad for Euro 2012

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Having seen two performances from England in the past week which have highlighted some positives heading towards Euro 2012, PlayUp has put together what it considers the best squad to take to Poland and Ukraine. Some of the players are shoe-ins, others are a little more contentious, and there are a few who have played recently have missed out altogether.

23 man Euro 2012 squad:

GK: Hart, Carson, Green Continue reading →

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Richards proves himself a Twit as he is dropped

Rodwell and Sturridge earn first calls; Agbonlahor returns

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Opportunity knocks for two young Englishmen. Daniel Sturridge and Jack Rodwell have been called up to their first England squad by manager Fabio Capello for the friendlies against Spain and Sweden.

There could be no better game in which to make their mark and stake a claim for next year’s European Championships than in a game against the World and European champions. Who better for them to test themselves against than Iniesta, Xavi, Pique and the rest? Continue reading →

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