To get involved use Twitter (via hashtag #BBCFootball ) or text us via 81111 with FOOTBALL before your message. (Not all contributions can be used. Messages will be charged at your standard operator rate.)
1956: But what do stats really tell us? Exactly.
1954: So Swansea fans - fancy more odds-stacking stats against you? While Manchester City are unbeaten in all five of their season-opening home games in the Premier League, with five draws, Swansea have lost their last five games on the opening day of the season, the current longest such run of any side in the four tiers of English football. Oof.
Gerard, Derby via text: "Am I the only one who sees something - Swansea are a team together, City never will be. Optimistic, 1-1 draw."
1951: What did they say? Roberto Mancini: "Sergio Aguero is not ready, he is not 100%, but it is possible he will come on. This will be a very tough game for us, especially with it being Swansea's first in the Premier League." And Brendan Rodgers: "There is a real sense of excitement. Every game will be very difficult for us and this will be no different. We like to pass the ball, we are at a different level now but the philosophy has to be the same." Sets us up nicely, I reckon.
1948: I tell you something, people, a look at the managers in their pre-match interviews tells a story. Home boss Roberto Mancini looks a lot like he's wearing stinging nettle pants, while Swans manager Brendan Rodgers is so relaxed he could be offering his thoughts from a sun lounger on some far-flung beach somewhere. I wonder...
1941: MAN CITY v SWANSEA (2000)
BBC Sport Wales' Aled Williams at the Etihad Stadium reports: "This should be quite a night for Swansea, who make their first appearance in the Premier League and in doing so become the first Welsh club to play in the competition. Remarkably, all of this takes place just eight years after they came within a defeat of dropping out of the Football League. Of course, this will be of little interest to Manchester City, who ended 35 years without a trophy by winning last season's FA Cup and will have their eyes on even bigger prizes this season. City have spent big once again over the summer and expectations are sure to be sky high again."
1937: MAN CITY v SWANSEA (2000)
Man City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure Yaya, De Jong, Barry, Silva, Dzeko, Johnson. Subs: Taylor, Zabaleta, Milner, Kolarov, Savic, Aguero, Balotelli.
Swansea: Vorm, Rangel, Caulker, Williams, Tate, Britton, Dobbie, Agustien, Dyer, Graham, Sinclair. Subs: Moreira, Orlandi, Routledge, Lita, Moore, Allen, Gower.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Anon via text: "I might not be very good with history, but didn't David beat Goliath?"
PREMIER LEAGUE FACT: Swansea become the 45th club to play in the Premier League while Manchester City were among one of the original 22 member clubs in 1992. They last met in English football's top flight during the 1982/83 season, at the end of which both sides were relegated. Anyone believe in... omens? *Snigger*
Former Swansea and Wales striker and BBC Radio Wales pundit, Ian Walsh: "It's a momentous occasion for Swansea. The fans here at the Etihad Stadium and those watching and listening at home will be kicking and heading every ball. It's important that Swansea have a good level of performance, not just today but throughout the course of the season."
1924: Let me give you a flavour of the task facing Swansea tonight, shall I? Well estimates suggest the Swans' squad cost the club around £25m - £13m less than the cost of just one Sergio Aguero and £365m less than the staggering cost of this Man City collection. Add to that the fact the visitors will be fielding nine Premier League debutants tonight against a team that have won nine and lost none of their last 10 Premier league home games and you get the feeling even David v Goliath does match-up this little justice.
Anon via text: "Got Yaya Toure as captain in my fantasy team but I dont want to see Man City win so I'm hoping for 4-3 to Swansea with Toure grabbing a sneaky hat-trick!"
1919: MAN CITY v SWANSEA (2000)
BREAKING TEAM NEWS
BBC Sport Wales' Aled Williams at the Etihad Stadium reports: "Tonight's teams have just been announced. Gael Clichy makes his home debut for Manchester City while record signing Sergio Aguero is among the substitutes. Aguero was signed for a reported £38m, 10 times the record fee Swansea paid Watford for striker Danny Graham, who makes his debut along with goalkeeper Michel Vorm and Steven Caulker."
Smithers in sunny Valencia via text: "No upset tonight, Sam: City to beat Swansea 3-0... With Aguero to come off the bench and show the Premier League he is this season's top scorer in waiting."
1910: Of course, whichever way you look at it, this is a big opportunity for Man City to lay a marker down tonight. Draws for Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool this weekend mean an early chance for Man Utd's 'noisy neighbours' to steal a march on their title rivals. And the opportunity is no smaller for Swansea - win this and a huge statement will have been made. It's cooking, this fixture.
1900: It's taken 19 years, but finally the English Premier League welcomes a touch of Wales to its shores this evening. Swansea City are in town - and as introductions go, a trip to the richest club in the country Man City is about as hot as it gets. Are they buzzing? You betcha. Optimistic? Definitely. Overwhelmed? We shall see...
0 comments:
Post a Comment