EPL: Sunderland V Manchester City – Sunday, 29th August

Sunderland V Manchester City

Sunday, 29th August – 15:00 GMT

Sunderland

League Position: 15th
League Form: DL

Steve Bruce’s Sunderland are one of a number of teams still seeking their first win of the new Premier League following a 2-2 draw with Birmingham City in their opening fixture and a miserable 1-0 loss at West Brom last Saturday. In fairness, Sunderland would have beaten Birmingham in their only home league fixture to date but didn’t get any rub of the green as the Blues scored two fortuitous goals to snatch a perhaps undeserved point. And while the result wasn’t exactly pleasing, Sunderland’s performance at the Stadium of Light a few weeks ago should stand them in good stead nonetheless and they’ll be a tough nut to crack on home soil for any visiting opponent.

The Sunderland manager made a bold decision in midweek to field a strong team in the Carling Cup against Colchester. I suppose the fact it was at home led to Bruce handing the likes of Darren Bent, Titus Bramble, Lee Cattermole and Zenden and run-out before Sunday’s crunch encounter with the team everyone are expecting to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season, and by thereabouts we mean challenging for the league title. Bruce’s decision paid off as Sunderland won rather comfortably in the end by two goals to nil, while the clubs most prolific asset last season, Darren Bent, bagged a confident brace and thus should be hungry for more goalmouth action when he clashes with an opponent he scored just twice against when a Tottenham player. But if anything else Sunderland now have a taste for winning, something they didn’t have when heading into their first away fixture at West Brom, although there was no excuse for the lethargic manner in which they played last Saturday in a match they never even looked like winning.

Our sources claim that while Tuesday’s Carling Cup victory appeared comfortable by the scoreline, it was nothing of the sort on the pitch, and that a much improved performance is needed from Tyneside’s Black Cats if they’re to compete with Manchester City on Sunday. Moreover, Sunderland’s recent record against Man City at the Stadium is Light is the material nightmares are made of; not beating the blues of Manchester on home soil since 2000. Since then the two have clashed at the Stadium of Light on five occasions with City winning all but one, the last meeting when the pair played out a 1-1 draw.

The good news is Steve Bruce doesn’t have any fresh injury worries, no selection headaches, although it doesn’t bode well when the likelihood is, Bruce will name the same side that lost 1-0 at West Brom a week ago. Sunderland were never at the races at The Hawthorns last Saturday, severely struggling to break down West Brom’s passing moves and had no idea where the runs were being made. It was all a little too easy for the Baggies, a little too one paced and one dimensional from Sunderland, who’s main asset is Darren Bent but everyone now pinpoints the England international as the main threat, the man to mark, and Bent is now struggling to find space, with goal bound efforts few and far between. Even Bent’s opening goal of the season was from the spot, so the former Spurs flop will need to show he’s not a one-trick pony on Sunday if Sunderland are to get anything from a fixture which has produced very little in terms of points for them in previous campaigns.

Manchester City

League Position: 4th
League Form: DW

A lot is expected of Man City this season and while they failed to deliver in so many aspects on the opening day, they delivered with aplomb in their first home encounter of the season, when comprehensively beating an on the decline Liverpool at the City of Manchester stadium. They are, however, back on the road once again this weekend but the omens are promising as City close in on their fifth league win at the Stadium of Light in six attempts.

City were rampant on Monday night when completely and utterly dismantling a Liverpool side supposedly on the mend but are really close to their knees. Even so, Roberto Mancini’s side were terrific and another high-octane performance like that would see them difficult to stop on  Sunday at a venue which has served them well in recent campaigns. James Milner made his Man City début and was arguably the gem in a gold-plated City team that night, creating both of City’s opening two goals in one of the more impressive league debuts we’ve seen for time – Although only time will tell whether he’s worth the £25 million City shelled out for the former Aston Villa man. Overall it was a vastly improved displays from the team which looked toothless against Spurs in the seasons curtain raiser.

Mancini opted for more fire-power against Liverpool on Monday, starting with a team which boasted a great deal more creative options than he did against Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight ago. Milner and Adam Johnson were sensational all night long, turning the Liverpool defence one way and then the next, and yet their distribution of the ball isn’t half bad either. Carlos Tevez looked to have his old swagger back, that willingness to pick the ball up and run with it as he did for the most part last season when finishing as the clubs top goalscorer with 23 league goals, although it was the amount of depth and the vast amount of options and cover on their bench which will have have rivals spooked. It’s remarkable to even think that players such as Shay Given, David Silva, Shaun Wright-Philips and Adebayor, players which would walk right into any other team in the Premiership, were merely used as bench warmers against the Reds.

Match Prediction: Manchester City to WIN – 1.91 Boylesports

Steve Bruce is seeking improvement from his Sunderland players this weekend as the Black Cats entertain Manchester City at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland were very poor away from home last season and carried on where they left off with a miserable display away at West Brom last Saturday, losing 1-0 at the Hawthorns when creating very little and never really having a foothold in the game. It doesn’t get any easier though despite boasting home advantage, as Man City will be buoyed by both their 3-0 win over Liverpool last Monday and their progression in the Europa League on Thursday – Qualifying for the Europa League proper.

Roberto Mancini’s men have all the momentum and while their record on Tyneside against the Black Cats isn’t anywhere good enough, Sunday could be when City change all that with a big win over one of their bogey teams.

Match Odds:

Sunderland – 4.50 PaddyPower
Draw – 3.60 SportingBet
Manchester City – 1.91 Boylesports

Soccer-Betting Tip: Over 3.5 Goals – 4.00 Boylesports