Man City vs Blackpool preview - City eye top spot - 7M sport

Man City vs Blackpool preview - City eye top spot



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Posted Saturday, January 01, 2011 by PA

Manchester City could begin 2011 as Premier League leaders in their own right should they beat Blackpool at Eastlands.

If neighbours Manchester United fail to overcome West Brom in the early kick-off, it will open the door to City cementing top spot for longer than the five hours they were there on Tuesday.

Skipper Carlos Tevez is expected to return although leaving out his replacement, Mario Balotelli, will not be easy given the Italian's hat-trick against Aston Villa.

Assistant boss Brian Kidd has pleaded for understanding as Balotelli tries to combat the destructive power of homesickness.

"There has to be an empathy towards players," said Kidd.

"When they do feel this homesickness you don't brow beat them all the time.

"The players have been very good with Mario too. There is an understanding there.

"Everyone tends to look at the materialistic side of things but it is never easy."

Blackpool will be without midfielder Elliot Grandin, who had to be substituted less than 20 minutes in to Tuesday's 2-0 victory at Sunderland having picked up a hamstring injury and looks set to be sidelined for the next three matches.

Captain Charlie Adam returns after missing the game at the Stadium of Light through suspension.

Boss Ian Holloway is looking for revenge having been incensed at the way the Seasiders lost to City at Bloomfield Road in October, claiming that three crucial wrong decisions had swung the game.

The 47-year-old was aggrieved that Gary Taylor-Fletcher had an effort disallowed when it was still 0-0, thought Tevez had been offside when opening the scoring and also felt that a foul had been committed against Ian Evatt in the build-up to the Argentinian's second goal, which put City 2-1 ahead.

Roberto Mancini's team eventually triumphed 3-2 and Holloway believes he has a score to settle.

"I want some revenge if we can possibly be good enough to get it," Holloway said. "I think Man City have improved massively in the period since they played us and that they are going from strength to strength, but we are going to go to their ground and I want to see if we can beat them this time.

"I won't be going there to shut up shop or say 'goodness me, they are fantastic'. We are going to try to attack them, so hopefully it will be a good game."



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