Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Ritchie are still injured and will not play tomorrow at the Etihad Stadium.
And Isaac Hayden will be serving the last of his three-match ban and will be available for our next game in two weeks at home to Arsenal.
We’re sure Rafa will again play five at the back and Jamaal Lascelles is available – so we think Rafa could leave Fabian Schar out of the side to make way for the captain.
That’s tough on Fabian and maybe Rafa will keep the same back five from last Saturday – since they did so well in that game.
It would not be a huge surprise if Rafa keeps the same back five as last week and has Lascelles on the bench.
Jamaal Lascelles – could return tomorrow
Here’s the side we think Rafa will choose for the game at Manchester City tomorrow in a 4-5-1 formation:
Dubravka
Yedlin Lascelles (c) Fernandez Clark Dummett
Atsu Ki Diame Kenedy
Rondon
Rondon looked good in the short time he was on the pitch and scored a nice goal to open his account at Newcastle.
On the right wing, the greater experience of Christian Atsu should win him the starting position over Jacob Murphy – in Matt Ritchie’s absence.
We hope Kenedy on the left wing can get into this game tomorrow.
What’s your team for tomorrow afternoon?
Three in four fans think we will lose this game.
Comments welcome.
137 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Aug 31, 2018 at 5:37 PM
Comment #1Repost for editing purposes.
See Dummet has been called up by Wales, he’s about as Welsh as that pine dresser made in Taiwan me Nana used to have. If he gets injured there for nowt it could ruin our season. How did they allow Rafa to go in to the season with only Ciaran Clarke as LB cover, his crossing is like a centre back’s….oh hang on a minute
?
G
Aug 31, 2018 at 5:38 PM
Comment #2I recon Rapha will go with Murphy personally, but otherwise spot on. Joselu to come on in the 70th min for Rondon and nick a late goal?
Jail for Ashley
Aug 31, 2018 at 5:41 PM
Comment #3All this bad press leaked to the media is to undermine Benitez. It is to the detriment of the team and our results. It goes to show that he is willing to risk relegation to win his PR war.
In Dirk Llambias’ words “you don’t know how footin ‘orrible we can be”
sing in the corner
Aug 31, 2018 at 5:46 PM
Comment #4Being realistic, not getting a hammering or any more injuries is the main aim for this game.
No point playing Lascelles unless fully fit / recovered, in my opinion.
It’d be bordering on a miracle if we get anything at all.
Let’s get some testing / practice at bus positioning.
Can’t wait for the pundit gnashing of teeth at NUFC tactics..
sing in the corner
Aug 31, 2018 at 5:49 PM
Comment #5By the way,embarrassing story from Ashley and his mob regarding his non invite to training etc.
What a prick! Another PR fail / own goal.
SUTTY1978
Aug 31, 2018 at 5:50 PM
Comment #6Jail, Rafa doesn’t need undermining, he’s doing a good enough job of that himself.
Should stop with the whinging and get on with his job – getting results.
We had the same thing at the start of last season. As soon as he stopped whining we started winning.
lochinvar
Aug 31, 2018 at 5:54 PM
Comment #7Bingo -Atsu isn’t up to speed so let’s see.
Dubravka
Yedlin Lascelles Fernandez Clark Dummett
Murphy Ki Diame Kenedy
Rondon
Optimistic Panda
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:11 PM
Comment #80-1 to us, Rondon to score.
welshgeordie9
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:11 PM
Comment #9Totally agree, stop whining.
Mister Tuff
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:11 PM
Comment #10Whilst not expected if we do get something from tomorrows game – it will be a massive boost prior to the break – giving the players something to build on.
If we do get something -it will be interesting how the fans/football world views it.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:17 PM
Comment #11SUTTY,
Don’t worry, the next incumbent will be more than happy to grin and bare it and tell us we tried really hard but couldn’t get them over the line.
cyprus
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:24 PM
Comment #12Good words Clark
But: holding out after 1-1 for the penalties?! It was Forest man, not Barca.
Chris
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:40 PM
Comment #13I just don’t understand how can Astu get in the squad ahead of Aaron’s. Astu maybe a better player but Aaron’s is younger and has far more potential and a better impact sub. Our best 2 wingers are Kenedy and Ritchie then probably followed by Murphy for his direct different style but Atsu isn’t going to get much better while Aaron’s will with a bit of confidence
Jail for Ashley
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:43 PM
Comment #14Chris,
Although Atsu isn’t great Aarons has hardly set the world alight. Mostly injured, was a flop in Italy and not likely to make it as a top pro.
Slank
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:44 PM
Comment #15I think having 5 at the back is just asking for trouble.
Dummett is not a wing back. He is a good defensive fullback.
Having a solitary striker with no support is just a repeat of the Chelsea game. Rondon will be isolated and ineffective. He needs a player to support him.
I haven’t been impressed with Ki. I would play Longstaff.
I would put out a more balanced team.
Dubravka
Yedlin Lascelles Fernandez Dummett
Murphy Longstaff Diame Kenedy
Perez
Rondon
sing in the corner
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:51 PM
Comment #16Whatever the problem is with Kenedy, he / Rafa needs to solve it and fast. Spectacular loss of..,well everything.
Especially with Shelvey and Ritchie missing,it’s putting a lot of extra pressure on the likes of Ki and Muto to produce immediately. And as for Murphy, we are still waiting for him to arrive.
We need to get a foothold, but to do that at the Etihad is too much to ask I feel in the real world.
Having said that, a good battling performance, showing we are up for it, is what is required tomorrow.
lukes26
Aug 31, 2018 at 6:57 PM
Comment #17Aarons had just that one preseason where he looked decent… people seem to forget that Pardew started him for a few games that season and he was abysmal….chicken with no head running around. no one was upset when he was benched
always rated sammy ameobi above him
i think muto and murphy get a start tomorrow
Bobbybee
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:09 PM
Comment #1825/1 – I’m definitely taking those odds. Don’t care if it’s City either, it’s a two horse race and you just never know. 🙂 Yes, it is unlikely – 25/1 unlikely – but you’ll kick yourselves if we win. Rondon has been known to score against City…
Bigjim67
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:19 PM
Comment #19SUTTY
Rafa whingeing and whining? I must’ve missed that then, unless you mean him not being backed with transfer funds by the greedy owner? He will get slaughtered by the press when we defend well and only lose by one or two goals tomorrow, in fact there will be a few on here who will be giving him pelters because we didn’t go for it to lose by five. I really just hope we get a good performance out of Kenedy and Rondon tomorrow, the defence needs to be solid and if so you never know! Hwtl
Essex Geordie Bill
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:31 PM
Comment #20I see 700 people have voted that we’d lose, WTF, bunch of pessimistic losers.
welshgeordie9
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:33 PM
Comment #21I can see us winning tomorrow, I’m going with a 2-2 win with a Rondon hat trick.
toon22
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:35 PM
Comment #22All Rafa needs to do against City is go out and take the game too them,with our dirt cheap squad and not real net spend in a decade we will wipe the floor with them
And too think MA was being encouraged to honor his promise of spending every last penny when its obvious teams like City are chumps for trying to compete in this league
Heres to MA and another decade of profits and lies
Bobbybee
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:38 PM
Comment #23Weshie – pssst, 2-2 is a draw, mate. 🙂
toon22
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:39 PM
Comment #24Weve had the perfect pre season with all the penny pinching,getting players in as late as possible and the owner hard balling the entire playing staff over tv rights and the like
It just shows the rest of the entire footballing world how to treat a team of footballers
Simply the best pre season possible
Essex Geordie Bill
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:40 PM
Comment #2521 Hours 51 Minutes to KO
Bobbybee
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:40 PM
Comment #26We – l – shie even. 🙂
toon22
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:41 PM
Comment #27But somehow MA isnt to blame in any way
Its always someone else,which shows just how much it matters too him.As if it didnt he wouldnt have all the lies and shills to defend his white image
So keep it up lads
Essex Geordie Bill
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:42 PM
Comment #28Bobby
I think that welsh maths is slightly different to the rest of the country. 🙂
Essex Geordie Bill
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:43 PM
Comment #29Sorry I should have said Welsh maths.
toon22
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:44 PM
Comment #30So when Rafa finally goes and the next MA victim is shoved into the hot seat we will have the usual lies about getting the team playing as he wants and not being able to compete with teams like Wolves
And the usual lies weve gotten overthe years until the heat is on MA again where he rinses and repeats the whole process again,and again for as long as he can be bothered
Bobbybee
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:44 PM
Comment #31Cheers Bill. 🙂 Gonna watch the old Yorkshire derby that is no longer a derby… Should, be interesting.
Essex Geordie Bill
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:45 PM
Comment #32Bobby
Good luck with that bet, it is tempting.
toon22
Aug 31, 2018 at 7:46 PM
Comment #33ALl the while we slide dont the pan and he gets that little bit richer
As MA is our financial savior,with out his help we would have slid into obscurity.
Honest
NUFC 1892
Aug 31, 2018 at 8:02 PM
Comment #34TOON ARMY !!
jane
Aug 31, 2018 at 8:10 PM
Comment #35“and repeats the whole process again,and again for as long as he can be bothered”
like your comments toon22
jazzyp
Aug 31, 2018 at 8:13 PM
Comment #36Personally would be happy with a performance to be proud of and bring a bit of positivity around the club,Rather than the doom that is encircling us at present.
Not expecting anything from the game and a draw I would imagine would be acceptable to most
beermonkey
Aug 31, 2018 at 8:28 PM
Comment #37jazzy
decent performance and a draw i would sttle fror that now
toon22
Aug 31, 2018 at 8:43 PM
Comment #38Nope
To some on this blog unless we go and school City were being held back by Rafa
With his useless defensive tactics
As we have a world class squad who can toe to toe with anyone
toon22
Aug 31, 2018 at 8:50 PM
Comment #39Quote
City spent £215m in the summer transfer market to take the total outlay on their squad to 853m euros (£775m).
As opposed to the toons squad
Altogther the 21 players cost £75m, averaging out at £3.66m per player.
They payed almost that for Marhez
But we can all see that they are mugs,with our financial trickery we will compete
Or
MA is bleeding this club dry and is making a mug of us.
toon22
Aug 31, 2018 at 8:52 PM
Comment #40Yes money dont make a football club be anyone can see not spending on building a team,lieing to just about anyone available and hard balling the entire squad over tv rights isnt the best way to run any kind of sporting enterprise
We are just another part of MAs empire of exploitation.