What Formation Should Manchester City Line-up In Next Season?

Manuel Pellegrini will have his task cut out next season

Manchester City made a strong finish to their trophy-less 2014/15 season, winning their final six games in the Barclays Premier League and comfortably finishing in 2nd place, ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United, who looked likely to finish above them at one stage during the campaign.

Manuel Pellegrini deployed his side in the 4-2-3-1 system for the final seven league fixtures, including the 2-4 derby defeat at Old Trafford, and the results were there to be seen.

It wasn't a major innovation from 'the Engineer', who, during his reign at the Etihad Stadium, has been continually castigated for his inclination to playing the 4-4-2 formation, one which saw the 2013/14 English champions score a whopping 156 goals across all competitions.

Pellegrini's decision was also forced, in many ways, due to Edin Dzeko's poor form and disillusioned exterior; Wilfried Bony, the new recruit from Swansea City, suffered ankle and knee injuries during the latter stages of the campaign, making the manager's decision all the more straightforward.

Looking ahead to next season, what sort of a system can Pellegrini deploy his side in? The Chilean is a firm believer in his methods, though some would argue that his dogmatism is uncalled for, with City vying for domestic and continental honors.

When the Etihad outfit brought in the likes of Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando Reges, Frank Lampard and Bacary Sagna, who were the outfield players to sign for the then defending champions, last summer, their system didn't need tweaking.

The addition of the aforementioned quartet to the City squad meant that their midfield and rearguard were not only strengthened, but could also be rotated - which is exactly what Pellegrini did for a majority of their campaign.

This summer, the club seems motivated to sign a world class player, with Paul Pogba and Kevin de Bruyne topping the coveted list of players.

The question, therefore, is whether the new additions will force Pellegrini to tinker with his playing system? And, if so, what formation could the Sky Blues line-up in next season, in the UEFA Champions League and domestic competitions?

Read on...

A lot has been said about the way City have lined-up over the last two seasons, with particular emphasis placed on getting outnumbered in midfield whenever Pellegrini's side has played in the 4-4-2 formation.

However, not many have been aware of the notion that it is the players who make the system work, and not the other way around.

Let us take the 4-2-3-1, or 4-4-1-1, formation for instance: usually, David Silva plays as the No.10 and Sergio Aguero, the club's No.1 striker, plays up top. Now, when City are out of possession, Silva remains high up the pitch along with Aguero, and their team drops into two banks of four.

Average positions of City players in a 4-4-2, when out of possession

Therefore, 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 is hardly any different from a 4-4-2 formation, especially without possession of the ball.

When in possession, it is fundamental that City work as a team and do everything possible to find the back of the net, leaving the two central defenders along with Fernandinho, the No.4 or midfield pivot, to do the bulk of the defensive work when a turnover in possession occurs.

Talking of next season, Pellegrini might have to play a different formation if either Pogba or de Bruyne joins up with the existent City squad.

The Cityzens already have three midfielders - Toure, Fernandinho and Fernando - at their disposal, and only two of them can play in the 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 systems.

De Bruyne, though, is versatile and could be deployed in at least 2 or 3 positions, making it possible for City to continue lining up in the aforementioned systems, with the Belgian and Silva presumably forming a good partnership in the attacking-third with Aguero.

City lining up in the 4-3-3 system is not out of the question, if Txiki Begiristain and co. bring in the players who are reported to be interesting them.

De Bruyne will give Pellegrini many tactical options to choose from

Such a formation will make profound changes to City's engine room, which could then have one of the two Brazilian midfielders playing as a solitary pivot behind Toure and, possibly, one amongst de Bruyne and Silva partnering the Ivorian in that advanced midfield position.

Jesus Navas and Samir Nasri, you would think, will flank Aguero in the final-third.

The 4-3-3 formation will give City a lot more potency when attacking, while also giving them better defensive solidity than what they enjoy in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2.

The notion, however, remains the same: each player has to play his role well, in order to make the system work.

Final Thought

It remains to be seen what City do with Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic, and whether the duo is shown the door when the Transfer Window opens in July.

However, regardless of what happens to the aforementioned duo, or even one among them, don't be surprised if Pellegrini sticks with the 4-4-2 system in the Premier League and cup competitions.

In Europe, City could lineup in the 4-3-3 formation, that is if they bring in more central midfielders.

City, simply put, defended flimsily last season

Finally, City's defensive struggles last season were not due to the formation they played in, but because of the defenders' - Vincent Kompany and Mangala, in particular - poor form throughout the campaign, which led to their side conceding some really cheap goals against considerably lesser opposition.

Do Manchester City Need Samir Nasri Next Season?

Manchester City finished off their trophy-less 2014/15 season with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Southampton at the Etihad Stadium last Sunday.

Aguero winning the Golden Boot was 'the' highlight of City's season

Sergio Aguero won the Premier League Golden Boot, his first since moving from Atletico Madrid in 2011, for scoring 26 goals in a Barclays Premier League campaign that saw Man. City finish in second place.

Joe Hart bagged the Golden Glove award, his 3rd in the last four seasons, for keeping more cleansheets (14) than any other goalkeeper in the English top-flight.

Those two individual awards, albeit not significant in the grand scheme of things, are a reminder of the kind of players City have at their disposal and that there have been a few positives to come out of a season which simply didn't go to plan for the Sky Blues.

City crashed out of both the Capital One and FA Cup competitions at a very early stage, losing to Newcastle United and Middlesbrough, respectively, at their Etihad fortress. They couldn't breach the 'Barcelona barrier' either, losing 1-3 on aggregate in the UEFA Champions League R-16 for the second season in succession.

Throughout the season that has just finished, there were talks of the City squad requiring a major surgery, replacing the older legs - Yaya Toure, Edin Dzeko, Aleksandar Kolarov and Gael Clichy, to name a few - with young, energetic and world class players of the calibre of Paul Pogba, Kevin de Bruyne, Roberto Firmino, Layvin Kurzawa and of late, Raheem Sterling.

Samir Nasri, albeit not in the age categories of the Toures, Kolarovs and Dzekos and who only signed a 5-year contract at the beginning of last season, is another City player alleged to be on his way out of the Etihad.

It was also reported that he had an altercation with Manuel Pellegrini, who dropped him from City's starting XI after a string of poor performances during the late February-early March period, with Nasri making only four substitute appearances thereafter.

In this article, let us get an idea of what the Frenchman did in an injury-hit season, and whether he could get the axe from City's squad for next season.

Read on...

The Frenchman has traveled with the City squad for their tour of North America

Nasri only made 32 appearances across all competitions for the Cityzens in the 14/15 season, suffering injuries - a couple of groin and one calf - on three different occasions, that affected him from replicating the wonderful form he showed in Pellegrini's first season in-charge of the club.

Calling it a bad season for Nasri, however, doesn't make sense if you go by the stats that clearly demonstrate the Frenchman's contribution to City whenever he played.

As an attacking-midfielder or inside forward, the 27-year old, in the season that has just finished, completed 90% of his attempted passes, which was the most by any City attacker, in 24 Premier League appearances.

Not only did he pass for passing sake, but he also created an average of close to 2.2 chances (52 overall) per game, which was bettered only by David Silva (2.9) and Jesus Navas (2.3) - with the duo playing 8 and 11 more games, respectively, than the former Arsenal player.

More impressively, Nasri completed 27 of his 31 attempted take-ons, proving his efficiency in keeping possession and going past defenders.

He also chipped in with a couple of goals and had a shot accuracy of 63%, which, again, was bettered only by Jose Angel Pozo, who made just three league appearances.

In the Champions League, Nasri wasn't as effective as he was in the league, despite making 6 appearances in the competition. He completed 89% of his passes, but mustered a mere 1.2 chances per game, while also completing just 3 take-ons over six appearances.

Nasri was ultra-impressive in Stadio Olimpico, delivering Champions League success for City

His highlight of the season, however, came in this competition, where he scored a goal and assisted the other for Pablo Zabaleta, in City's 2-0 win over AS Roma last December.

Looking beyond Nasri's stats, City need to determine the reason for holding onto their No.8. In Silva, City have a better player than Nasri and in the same mould as the Frenchman; the Spaniard is also adept at creating goal scoring chances (93, in the league alone), completing take-ons (74% success rate, in the league alone) and scoring (12, in the league alone) goals, too.

Therefore, Nasri, without a smidgen of doubt, doesn't bring something different to Pellegrini's side that also has Navas and James Milner, who play as wingers and defensively contribute a lot more than what the Frenchman usually does.

Nasri found Neymar's pace too hot to handle in the second leg of the Barca-City tie

He is also devoid of pace and, at the Champions League level, he will struggle because of that, as we saw what Neymar did to him when City played the Catalans at the Camp Nou.

If the 2013/14 English champions do secure the services of de Bruyne, Firmino and Sterling, or even one amongst the trio, they ought to make a decision on Nasri's role in the squad.

Because unless Pellegrini decides to adopt the 4-3-3 system, which could see the Marseille-born midfielder play in one of the two advanced midfield positions, it is not going to be possible for him to feature regularly in the starting XI.

He, for me, won't be satisfied with a bit-part role and that could cause serious problems with offloading him, as he is currently on a huge £120,000 per week salary at the Etihad.

Final Thought

The former Arsenal player has possession-retaining ability

Nasri is a very good player, who can make things happen for City when they are playing against parked buses: he can drive into the box, play neat one-twos and thereby, add potency to City's attacks.

However, his work-rate is definitely on the lower side and also lacks pace, which is a significant downside for a player who can play only as a winger at City.

As we all know, it is going to be an intriguing summer at City, and what they do with Nasri will further add to the excitement.

Should Manuel Pellegrini Go For Youth In Manchester City's Lineup For The Final Game Of The Season?

Manuel Pellegrini remains intent on signing off the season with a win

Manchester City will finish their 2014/15 Barclays Premier League campaign, which has seen them relinquish their title to Chelsea, with a home game against Southampton on Sunday.

The Sky Blues have secured second place ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United in the league standings, by winning their last five league fixtures on the trot.

They were ran close in a couple of games by Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City - both away from home - but a determined Manuel Pellegrini's side made sure that they worked hard out of possession and were clinical in attack, to secure three points on both those occasions.

City, otherwise, registered comfortable victories over West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers (QPR) at the Etihad Stadium, where they also overcame an assertive Aston Villa side that was close to holding the hosts for a point, at least.

It has been an important turnaround for the Cityzens, who, at one stage in April, looked likely to not even qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League.

Having secured the runner-up spot, as well as automatic qualification for the group stages of the Champions League next season, should Pellegrini experiment, and inject a few youth players in his starting lineup for Sunday's clash against Ronald Koeman's Saints?

Read on...

City's season was virtually over after they suffered defeats to Barcelona in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Premier League, in back-to-back games during the late February and early March period.

The atmosphere inside the Etihad, consequently, hasn't been at its raucous best for a good three months now and the City faithful are already looking for a fresh start next season.

The City supporters, however, have taken great delight in their club finishing above Manchester United for the second consecutive season, with Louis van Gaal's men losing 75% of their games (4) since inflicting a 2-4 derby defeat on City in April.

City fans witnessed their side pummel Southampton by 3-0 in the reverse fixture

The Etihad outfit has also played a coruscating brand of football, which has been missing for much of this season, lately, going onto score 16 goals during their current 5-game winning run, compared to just 9 in the previous 6 league fixtures.

One of the factors Pellegrini needs to consider if he is keen on experimenting with his starting lineup is that City will be playing at home against Southampton, a game for which the tickets have been sold out, and it, therefore, almost becomes an obligation to give the club's fanatics a good send off.

The Chilean, in his final pre-match press conference of the season yesterday, said that "Second is finished but the season isn't. We must try to win for our fans, to play well and give a good farewell to the season", indicating his single-mindedness in wanting to finish the season on a winning note.

PELLEGRINI: Second is finished but the season isn’t. We must try to win for our fans, to play well and to give a good farewell to the season

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) May 22, 2015

That statement of his makes sense too, because City, unlike Jose Mourinho's side, haven't had a great season, and it can only be a good thing to finish the season with as many points to your name as possible.

The Chilean also has to be cautious in the way he bloods in youth to his squad, which has been one of his virtues as a City manager, because ideally, he doesn't want the youngsters to feature in a game and lose confidence on themselves because of a poor performance or something.

In addition, the starlets seem a little light-weight compared to the likes of a Jordan Ibe or Ruben Loftus-Cheek, players who have graced the Premier League this season for Liverpool and Chelsea, respectively.

The caliber of the opposition also needs to be taken into account, and from that point of view, City will need to play their full-strength side in order to overcome Sunday's visitors.

On the flip side of the coin, however, there can be no better stage for Pellegrini than Sunday, when he could inject a couple of youth players to his side's starting lineup, and thereby squash any lingering doubts over his supposed lack of faith in City's academy and EDS players.

Players like Kelechi Iheanacho and Jose Angel Pozo, who has already appeared for City in three league fixtures this season, could be given a chance to feature this Sunday, when there is absolutely nothing to lose or gain, at least from the home side's perspective.

It will be an important step, as Pellegrini often puts it during his interviews, in the Chilean's reign as City manager, who will need to have a few youth options up his sleeve ahead of the next season, when he will once again be under pressure to deliver silverware.

But going by his thoughts in the presser yesterday, Pellegrini sounds to be in no mood whatsoever to take a gamble, and put himself under pressure if something goes wrong.

Final Thought

It is important for City and Pellegrini to secure three points on Sunday, and ensure that they finish the season on a very good note.

Therefore, it would be good for City and their supporters if the former Malaga manager sticks with the lineup that has delivered results over the last month, and makes sure of the victory first.

This talk of experimentation can wait, at least until three points against Southampton are assured.

What Can Manchester City Takeaway From Their Strong Finish To The Season?

Joe Hart has been one of few standout City players this season

Manchester City will definitely be finishing the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season in 2nd place, with Arsenal failing to win against Sunderland yesterday and relinquishing the slim chance they had of finishing above Manuel Pellegrini's men.

City, with already 76 points to their name, face Southampton at the Etihad Stadium in the final competitive game of the season, and will no doubt be looking to make it half-a-dozen wins, to pull the curtains on what has been a 'disappointing' season for the club.

The Sky Blues have endured a horrible second half of the campaign that has seen them lose to the likes of Burnley and Crystal Palace - away from home - making life easier for Chelsea and Jose Mourinho, who have consequently won the title in a canter.

Pellegrini too, as a result of City's poor showings, has come under intense scrutiny regarding his position and we still await the board's decision on him before the next season kicks off.

City's last defeat came against Manchester United, who won 4-2 at Old Trafford after losing the previous four derbies on the trot, in April, when it seemed like Pellegrini's side would struggle to even finish in one of the four UEFA Champions League places.

Credit to the Etihad outfit, however, for turning things around in the way they have, stringing a quintet of league wins together and assuring themselves of direct qualification into the group stages of next season's Champions League.

The questions are: does City's strong finish to the season count for anything? What are the positives to come out of the current winning run? Answers to follow...

Fighting Spirit

City have shown tremendous fighting spirit during their current 5-game winning run

The hunger to win football matches has been one of the most impressive aspects of City's current 5-game winning run.

The 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane was invigorating to watch, simply because of the manner of the victory. Out of possession, City had to be dogged and defend for large periods in the game, which can't be easy for a side that thrives on possession football.

Sergio Aguero's winner came from a fantastic City counterattack, with Silva teeing up the Argentine who was utterly unflappable with his taking of the chance.

Against Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium, the game was more suited to City's style of play, and the 4-2 scoreline confirmed that the visitors had the better attacking resources of the two sides.

However, on both those occasions, City had to fight hard for the three points, and by doing so, were fully deserving of the results they managed in the end.

Although it has come pretty late on in the season, City have shown character and steel during their current 5-game winning run and that is definitely a positive to come out of their strong finish to this season.

Team Effort

Barring the victories over West Ham United and Aston Villa, teams that sabotaged themselves with a couple of unforced errors, City have played and won as a team.

Aleksandar Kolarov in particular, has been in a rich vein of form in his position at left-back, winning tackles, aerial duels, delivering incisively from corner-kicks and scoring a couple of beautiful free-kicks, too.

Along with the Serbian, the duo of Pablo Zabaleta and Fernandinho, who probably haven't had satisfying seasons by their own standards, have put in some very good displays at right-back and central midfield, respectively.

City have performed collectively during the last month

In an attacking sense, Aguero, Milner and Silva have been a delight to watch, and were the cornerstones to City's attractive victories over Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and Swansea.

Neither can we ill-afford to forget Joe Hart's heroics in City's victory last weekend, pulling off a couple of flabbergasting saves that gave his side a chance to go and clinch the three points.

Wilfried Bony came up with an assist and a goal in his last two substitute appearances for City, showing his pedigree as a genuine target man.

Many a City player hasn't been at his best for a majority of this season, and Aguero's goals have bailed his side out of trouble on a number of occasions. But ever since the derby defeat, City have performed and won as a team.

Takeaways for the Cityzens

Capitulation seemed inevitable after the defeat to the Red Devils, and Pellegrini was portrayed as a 'dead man walking' by many media outlets.

Capitulation seemed inevitable after the derby defeat

I think, from that point of view, City have conjured up a remarkable turnaround and made sure that they lived up to their recent history as either the winners of the Premier League or runners-up.

Hart, in the aftermath of the 6-0 victory over QPR, mentioned that a top four finish was the minimum for City these days. Also, finishing above Arsene Wenger's wizards and United - in particular - for the second consecutive season will delight City.

Avoiding capitulation, for me, says a lot about City as a club and their ambitions to remain the top dog in the English top flight, while also being aware that Mourinho and Chelsea will be their strong rivals in the years to come.

Other than that, City need to regroup and recruit in the best way possible this summer, to challenge for honors next season, when it will once again be a 'fresh' start and challenge.

Final Thought

Pellegrini has engineered a turnaround in City's fortunes during the last month, which tells a lot of him, as well, as a manager who can be trusted with delivering silverware for City in the 2015/16 campaign.

Manuel Pellegrini has a big summer ahead of him

The character shown by the City boss can also be looked at as one of the positives to come out of the Cityzens' strong finish to their 2014/15 campaign.

Barclays Premier League: Five Things We Learned From Manchester City's Victory Against Swansea City

Yaya Toure's brace was pivotal to City's victory yesterday

Manchester City, by way of a 4-2 victory against Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium, registered their 5th consecutive Barclays Premier League win since suffering defeat at the hands of Manchester United in April, and assured themselves of direct qualification into the group stages of next season's UEFA Champions League.

It was a brilliant game of football, that didn't have too much to choose between two attractive football teams.

But City, with a bit more firepower than the hosts, in attack, managed to outscore Gary Monk's side that played with great vigor and incision.

Yaya Toure (2), James Milner and former Swan, Wilfried Bony, got the goals for the visitors, who would have been disappointed at the way they conceded the two goals, which were scored by Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bafetimbi Gomis on either side of half-time, and let Swansea back in after leading them by 2-0 in the first 45'.

From City's perspective, they certainly would be cock-a-hoop because of yesterday's victory that sees them finish above the Red Devils in the Premier League standings for the second consecutive season. However, in hindsight, what can they takeaway from their display against the Swans?

The home side played as they were expected to

Having accrued 56 points, which is the highest ever points tally in their history, from 36 games prior to the defeat to City, it was not unexpected of Swansea to perform the way they did and take the game to their illustrious opponents.

Montero posed plenty of problems for Zabaleta on City's right-hand-side

Out of possession, they were well organized and forced City to work hard to create openings. When they won the ball back, the Welsh side broke in unison and asked a few questions of their opponents' rearguard that found it difficult to cope with the pacey Swansea forwards - Nathan Dyer, Jefferson Montero, and Modou Barrow in the second half.

Sigurdsson's goal, which came on the stroke of half-time, was a timely one and reminded City that the game was not over by any means.

Gomis got the second goal after 20 minutes into the second half, and incidentally, it once again came at a time when City were fashioning chances of their own and close to finding what could have been a decisive 3rd goal.

Swansea, considering the way they scored the two goals and created 7 other goal scoring chances on the evening, would be bitterly disappointed at the result they managed in the end.

Lukasz Fabianski had a forgettable game, as he should have done much better for both the Toure goals and at least got a hand to Milner's goal, which came from a brilliant City counterattack.

Overall, Swansea played well and contributed to a very good game of football, which was also not unexpected prior to kickoff.

But, hopefully, this game could help them identify the areas they need to tighten up on when playing against the big boys of the Premier League and also have a look at harnessing the opportunities, like they were afforded by City last night.

City produced a 'good' away performance

There were many a moment during yesterday's game when Manuel Pellegrini's men were under the pump and had to weather a Swansea storm.

Such a scenario was particularly palpable even prior to City scoring the opener, with the likes of Montero posing defensive questions to Pablo Zabaleta and Dyer too, investigating Eliaquim Mangala's temperament as a Premier League defender.

The visitors, though, came through every one of those testing phases, first to take a 2-0 lead and then to restore their two-goal advantage after Swansea equalized.

Milner's goal came from a terrific City counterattack

I thought that Pellegrini's side played some delightful counterattacking football, with Milner's goal in particular exuding great precision and illustrating the clinical nature of City's attacking play, on a day when they created 20 goal scoring chances and attempted 22 shots on Fabianski's goal.

The Cityzens only saw 51% of the ball, which is 5% less than the amount of possession they have averaged over this season, during the 95 minutes, but never found it hard to create chances and repeatedly got behind the Ashley Williams-led backline.

Such incisive attacking performances have been few and far in between for City, who will no doubt look into improving on that aspect of their game before the next season kicks off.

City showed why they are far from becoming a force in Europe

Yesterday's game was a carbon copy of City's early season clash against Hull City at the KC Stadium where, after taking a 2-0 lead, they conceded two cheap goals to let the home side back into the game.

Against Swansea, they were probably not as dominant as against Steve Bruce's side, but no way should Monk's men have got back into it and posed fresh concerns for City.

The central defensive partnership of Martin Demichelis and Mangala didn't have a great time yesterday, and found it extremely hard to deal with Gomis' physicality and genuine aerial ability.

Mangala was probably assigned to mark the 29-year old striker, but the Frenchman was caught out of position many times and Swansea found plenty of joy in playing around the former FC Porto defender.

City's rearguard was not up to the mark against Swansea yesterday

While Mangala had a forgettable game, Demichelis didn't produce one of his best performances either, winning just 1 of his 5 attempted tackles and failed to win his solitary aerial duel.

Vincent Kompany came on for the last 15 minutes, replacing Fernandinho and going alongside Mangala, with Demichelis moving into that No.4 position.

Even the inception of the Belgian defender didn't improve City rearguard's performance on the day, which was way below par. On another day, Swansea could have won that game if not for Joe Hart, who made two jaw-dropping saves to keep the score at 2-2 before Toure put City in the lead for the second time on the day.

Defensive problems have marred what has been a disappointing season for the Sky Blues, who once again relinquished a two-goal lead yesterday, before redeeming themselves and eventually going onto win the game.

Their attacking play was coruscating for a best part of 95 minutes, but defensively, against a pacey Swansea outfit, they were far from convincing, which explains why they have vast improvements to make in order to become a force in Europe.

It was a team effort from Pellegrini's side

This was one of the stark aspects of City's performance against Swansea yesterday: at least 60% of the players who played yesterday, put in satisfying displays. 

Toure had a brilliant game and was mighty pivotal to City's victory against the Swans. He scored 2 goals that gave his side the lead on both the occasions, while completing 87% of his passes and all three attempted take-ons: complete midfielder's display, that. 

Aleksandar Kolarov continued his rich vein of form with another solid display at left-back, where he had his task cut out against the fleet-footed Swansea wingers - Dyer and Barrow. 

The Serbian won 3 of his 6 attempted tackles and 3 of the 5 aerial duels he was involved in, while also making 2 interceptions and 4 clearances, to vindicate the defensive solidity he rendered yesterday. In an attacking sense too, he played to profile: delivering well from corner-kick situations, from which he created two goal scoring chances, and in general provided great attacking impetus to the visitors. 

Silva and Milner were prolific as a partnership for their side

Likewise, Milner was great to watch, as his understanding with David Silva led to City creating many chances from the left-hand-side once Navas replaced Frank Lampard, and the man from Yorkshire moved into a No.10 position. On the evening, Milner created 6 goal scoring chances; completed all (4) his attempted take-ons and scored a goal, to cap off a comprehensive performance. 

Hart made 7 saves overall; Sergio Aguero made the assist for Milner's goal; Silva registered two assists and completed 5 of his 7 attempted take-ons; Bony, as aforementioned, scored a goal against his old club, in the 10 minutes he got to play in for his new one. 

Therefore, it was a team effort from City who totally deserved the result they managed yesterday.  

City's good run of form carried them through

There were moments during yesterday's game when City could have crumbled under the pressure exerted on them by Swansea. They, however, kept going and managed to pull off the desired result in the end.

The players looked confident whenever City were in possession, and there was fluidity to most City attacks against Monk's side. 

City will be cock-a-hoop by the result they managed at the Liberty Stadium

Aguero led the line well, even though he didn't produce a good performance on his own, and the Milner-Silva duo was absolutely fabulous to watch.  

Even after Swansea attained parity, you never thought that City were going to get agitated and fail to create any more chances; that belief, I think, is a result of the winning run Pellegrini's side has been in since the Manchester derby defeat, and also the boost they would have garnered from the manner of their victory against Aston Villa at the Etihad three weeks ago. 

Final Thought

Pellegrini will be delighted by the result, but should investigate City's frailties

Poor defending and letting a 2-goal lead slip, again, probably will take a bit of the sheen off City's victory against Swansea. 

But take no credit away from City for the way they attacked Fabianski's goal and created as many chances as they did, playing away from home. 

Let us also not forget the contribution of Hart to the victory, which would definitely have not been possible without those two massive saves the England No.1 pulled off after Kompany replaced Fernandinho.

Pellegrini will be one happy man, and inching to finish the season with a win against Southampton at home. 

Barclays Premier League Preview: Swansea City vs Manchester City

Venue: Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Wales
Kickoff: 13:30 BST; 18:00 IST

Gary Monk, at just 36, is proving to be a tactical genius

Manchester City travel to the Liberty Stadium, to take on Swansea City in the penultimate Gameweek of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season.

It really is a significant weekend for Manuel Pellegrini's men, who could seal automatic qualification into next season's UEFA Champions League if they win against Swansea on Sunday.

The hosts, though, are in a fine fettle of their own and won't be easy to beat at all. They ran City ragged when the sides met at the Etihad Stadium last November, and deserved a better result than the one ( a 1-2 defeat) they got in the end.

Both sides' managers - Pellegrini and Gary Monk - insist on playing an attractive brand of football, and I am sure that the viewers from all around the world, as well as the supporters of both these football clubs, will be in for a treat this Sunday afternoon.

Read on... as we compare the strengths and weaknesses of both the sides, and what they have been doing lately.

Swansea

Swansea are a great team to watch when they are playing their best football

Monk's side is sitting in 8th place (with 56 points) on the league table and could achieve UEFA Europa League qualification if they win their remaining games and other results work in their favor; a 7th place finish (provided Arsenal win the FA Cup against Aston Villa on May 30th) could be enough to compete in Europe for the Jacks.

Their 14/15 campaign has been slightly up and down, and the Swans have found it difficult to strike consistency. They have managed to string three wins together only on two occasions in the Premier League this season, and it is an area that they would like to rectify this Sunday.

However, having said that, this has been a landmark season in their history, accruing their biggest ever points tally of 56, which is a whopping 9 points more than their previous best of 47.

The Welsh side comes into this game on the back of three consecutive victories, the last of which came against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium 5 days back.

Ki Sung-yueng, central midfielder, has already enjoyed a dream season at the Liberty, and is the leading goal scorer with 8 goals in 31 league appearances.

Ki is a genuine box-to-box midfielder

Ki will definitely be one of the players to watch out for tomorrow, as he is a genuine box-to-box midfielder who would want to show his worth against the 2013/14 English champions.

Gylfi Sigurdsson is another player, who has enjoyed a very good season after making a permanent move from Tottenham Hotspur last summer.

He has made the third-most number of assists (10) in the Premier League this season, and will be crucial to his side's chances of winning against City.

While the Swans have played with a lot of virtuosity in attack this season, their backline has not been watertight and conceded 44 goals so far in the Premier League.

Lukasz Fabianski, another one of Monk's marquee signings from last summer, has been called into action many times this season, and played a crucial role in his side enjoying the kind of season they have thus far.

The Pole has made 115 saves in 35 league appearances this season, averaging 3.29 saves, which is the most for a Premier League goalkeeper, per game.

Monk prefers to deploy his side in the archetype 4-3-3 system that enables them to play with great fluidity and creativity in midfield, as well as on the flanks, where the likes of Jefferson Montero, Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer can be absolutely lethal with their pace and movement.

Going into Sunday's home clash against City, it is paramount that Swansea don't concede goals and rely on their attackers to outshone their counterparts.

Someone like Jonjo Shelvey, with his work rate and ability to play instinctively, will have to come good, if Swansea are to cause problems for their illustrious opponents in a defensive and offensive sense.

Don't be surprised if Swansea sit deep and play on the counterattack, which has been the go-to tactic for most Premier League outfits when playing against the league's highest scorers.

City

Sunday's visitors have won their last four league games on the trot, but it would take a lot out of them to beat an in-form Swansea side this Sunday lunch time.

It has been a much needed turnaround for the Cityzens who, before their last four victories, were not assured of a top four spot and have had to work extremely hard to overtake Arsenal and Manchester United into second place.

Aguero is a pocket-size dynamite, at least in the eyes of City fanatics

Sergio Aguero's goal scoring form has been particularly pleasing to see, with the Argentine scoring 6 goals during his side's current 4-game winning run, taking his tally to 25 league goals for this campaign and putting himself in pole position to win the Golden Boot.

David Silva is back to being consistent after a tough two month period that saw him create 29 chances and score 2 goals - which is considerably low for the kind of high standards he sets for himself - from March 1st until the Manchester derby defeat at Old Trafford

The likes of Fernandinho, Aleksandar Kolarov, Eliaquim Mangala and Pablo Zabaleta, to name a few, have come good of late, and been crucial to their team's recent success.

City have performed well as a unit in recent games, with a majority of their players coming back to form and making their presence felt.

Pellegrini too, deserves his share of credit for conjuring up this turnaround in form after the defeat to the Red Devils, who have since won only 25% of their games.

Pellegrini should be applauded for the way he has engineered a turnaround in City's form

The Chilean manager has resorted to playing just Aguero up top, and that decision has paid rich dividends for him, as well as City, who have consequently been tough to breakdown by the likes of West Ham United, Villains, Spurs and Queens Park Rangers.

The City boss has also played with an unchanged starting XI for his side's last two games, but I would be very surprised if he refrains from calling back the fit again stalwarts - Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany - who were on the bench for their side's last game against the Rangers.

Even if the duo does come back into the starting XI, it will be interesting to see who they come in place of: Mangala and Martin Demichelis have largely been good as a defensive partnership, and it would be harsh on either of them to be dropped; Toure's selection could be more straightforward, although it would make sense if Pellegrini brings the Ivorian in place of Frank Lampard and not bench one of the two boisterous Brazilian midfielders.

Another potential selection dilemma for Pellegrini is that of Wilfried Bony, who hasn't managed to start any of his side's last three games since regaining fitness.

It could be an emotional moment for him on his return to the Liberty Stadium as a City player, and this aspect will add a bit more spice to this intriguing Premier League encounter.

Tactically, I expect Pellegrini to persevere with the 4-2-3-1 system, albeit with at least 2-3 changes in personnel.

Going into tomorrow's game, City will be relatively confident of beating Swansea, but will have to bring their A-game to the table.

The hosts have got pacey players up their sleeve and, as aforementioned, will look to play on the counterattack. It is important for the visitors to score that first goal, which always helps them play with verve and composure thereafter.

Defensively, they can be sure to face a few questions from the Swansea frontline comprising of Bafetimbi Gomis, Montero and Routledge, most probably.

City, though, will like playing against Swansea, as it will be more of a competitive game and not cagey.

Final Thought

Expect this to be a goal scoring feast, and closely contested battle between two aggressive football teams.

Both teams will fancy their chances of winning, which is the reason why the spectators could be in for a treat.

City will start as favorites, but Swansea will be reasonably confident of posing defensive problems for the visitors.

Five Reasons Why Manchester City Should Stick With Manuel Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini's position as Manchester City manager hangs in the balance

Talks and rumors of Manchester City sacking Manuel Pellegrini are refusing to go away, and the Etihad outfit continues to be linked with the likes of Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, as the potential replacements for Pellegrini.

The Sky Blues have failed to replicate their form from last year, and Pellegrini hasn't been helped by his side relinquishing their hard-earned 2013/14 Barclays Premier League title to Chelsea, who were level with City only on New Year's Day.

The Chilean also took the Cityzens into the UEFA Champions League R-16 for the second consecutive season, after two crucial victories against Bayern Munich and AS Roma in the final two group games. But Barcelona were just too good for them over two legs and, as it has turned out, Luis Enrique's men have eased their way into the Berlin finals rather easily.

Certain City fanatics have been put off by Pellegrini's faith in the 4-4-2 system that saw their side score a whopping 156 goals across all competitions in the league and cup double winning 13/14 season, but the same formation has not brought the best of the players this time around and yet, Pellegrini has largely remained inflexible with his tactics.

The 61-year old remains convinced he will not be sacked by the City hierarchy, and that he will comfortably see out his 3-year contract.

It has been clear from Pellegrini that the Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions placed on City by the UEFA, have proved to be a major stumbling block for them, as they were not able to properly reinforce their squad last summer while Chelsea and Arsenal brought in the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa and have been more 'competitive' than the Cityzens this season.

Only during the off-season will we know how City's hierarchy reacts to what has been an underwhelming season, and Pellegrini is sure to face a few tough questions from Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the chairman.

But here are five reasons why City simply need to stick with Pellegrini and not continue this aberration of sacking a manager every 2-3 seasons. Read on...

Constant changing of managers makes it difficult to attract top players

Pellegrini is probably not the box office manager like Jose Mourinho or Louis van Gaal, who can attract players purely due to their aura and respective winning formulas.

Neymar cited the constant changing of managers as the reason to not join a club like City

However, having said that, stability at a football club is something that any new player considers before moving to his new destination and it is the foremost reason why the City hierarchy needs to persevere with Pellegrini.

The Chilean, in his two years at the club, has already shown how good a man-manager he is, and that aspect of his management will be critical to City attracting the likes of Paul Pogba, Kevin de Bruyne and Roberto Firmino - who are their top transfer targets this summer - to the Etihad.

Talking of player transfers, Pellegrini must surely be mindful of a few players who he would want to add to his squad, and sacking him will not bode well for City's transfer strategy this summer.

A new manager coming in will probably not guarantee instant success

City, when they contemplate parting ways with Pellegrini, must be absolutely sure that the new manager coming in will not, in anyway, disrupt the good work that has been done by the former Malaga manager.

Pellegrini helped City win back their Premier League title from Manchester United in his first season in-charge of the club, but the question is how many managers can guarantee you such success immediately after taking over.

LVG is a perfect example for City to not be hasty in changing managers

Van Gaal is a fine example of why City should be cautious in their decision to change the current manager. The United boss has struggled to come to terms with the Premiership and invited derision for his obsession with tactics, philosophy and what not...

Mourinho, likewise, was not successful on his return to Stamford Bridge last season, when they struggled against the likes of West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Sunderland - clubs that nullified the tactical genius in the Portuguese manager, by way of winning or drawing their respective games against the West Londoners.

Therefore, while a new manager 'could' conjure up something extraordinary when appointed as replacement for Pellegrini, there is no guarantee that the new candidate will guarantee City instant success, which the Chilean was capable of.

Pellegrini has remained defiant and must be raring to go next season

This has no doubt been a sub-standard season for City in recent history, as they, in addition to relinquishing their Barclays Premier League title, failed to progress in the Capital One and FA Cup competitions in which they were ousted by Newcastle United and Middlesbrough, at their Etihad fortress, respectively.

The way City lost both those games - by 2-0 margins - was appalling, and Pellegrini's men, for a brief period, found it difficult to win against the likes of Hull City, Burnley and Palace since that defeat to Aitor Karanka's side.

Pellegrini has handled things well during a difficult season for City

In such tough times, however, you got to laud the way Pellegrini handled things and how he defended himself, his team and everyone concerned with the club.

Also, when faced with tough questions from the English press, Pellegrini has remained pragmatic in handling them, thereby saving the reputation of the club.

Players like Edin Dzeko, Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri have had poor seasons, and it has contributed to City's downfall. The aforementioned trio was at the heart of City's league and cup double winning 13/14 season, but injuries and poor form have seen them make little contribution to City's season this time around.

Pellegrini, purely for his record as manager at City, deserves to reflect on himself and this season, and must surely be determined to get back in the title hunt come August 8th, when the new campaign gets underway.

The Chilean has given City an identity - as an attractive team

Pellegrini and the City hierarchy have constantly reiterated their hunger for success, which they want to achieve in the right manner and by playing an attractive brand of football, however.

City are one of the few clubs that play an attractive brand of football

It was the foremost reason for bringing the Chilean from Malaga last season, as his teams are known to play artistic, success guaranteeing, football.

Such a footballing philosophy has seen City earn themselves an identity as the highest scoring team in the English top flight for the second consecutive season and one of the very few football clubs in Europe that thrive on playing quality football.

What it shows is that Pellegrini continues to fulfill the criteria expected of him by Txiki Begiristain and company, and more than anything else, believes in his methods.

Such assertiveness is wonderful to see and City need to make sure that they retain his services beyond this season.

Cityzens' current 4-game winning streak is a reason to

City won a mere 44% of their league fixtures from February until the Manchester derby last month, and it increasingly looked like Pellegrini's men would not attain Champions League qualification for the first time in 5 seasons.

Pellegrini has engineered a turnaround in City's season over the last month

Pellegrini was perceived as a 'dead man walking' during those two months, which were the initiators to this sack talk or speculation.

However, such speculation has been sent into the trashcan as a result of City's current 4-game winning streak that has got them to within two points of achieving direct qualification into the Champions League group stages next season.

It is not for the first time that we have seen Pellegrini transform City's form after a run of win-less games, and it just shows the adeptness of the Chilean as the manager of a football club that is striving for success and trophies almost every year.

Final Thought

There may come a time when City need a managerial change in order to progress further as a football club.

Yes, this season could be viewed as a failure and one in which progress was not made.

However, the Chilean should be struck with on the basis of the success he brought to the club last season and also for the obvious pluses - a wonderful man-manager, has City playing an attractive brand of football, refrains from tarnishing the reputation of the club - you get with Pellegrini at the helm.

Barclays Premier League: Five Things We Learned From Manchester City's Victory Over Queens Park Rangers

It was a comprehensive City performance against QPR

Manchester City were in ruthless mode against Queens Park Rangers (QPR), putting six goals past Robert Green to register their fourth consecutive victory since their last Barclays Premier League defeat.

The hosts were clinical in everything they did last night, but were greatly helped by the sloppiness of a Rangers side that played like it had accepted relegation even before Mike Dean blew his whistle for kickoff.

Manuel Pellegrini struck with the same starting XI that played with great spunk to win against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane 8 days ago, and his personnel responded well to the situation.

Sergio Aguero, a player who is almost a certainty now to win the Premier League Golden Boot for this season, opened the scoring after just four minutes into the game and followed it up with two more goals in the second half, to complete his third hat-trick of the season.

Aleksandar Kolarov, David Silva and James Milner scored the three other goals to hand the Londoners a humiliating defeat on their way into the Football League Championship next season.

The atmosphere inside the Etihad Stadium was rather muted, which, however, was not unexpected given that the home side was not fighting for any honors as such, but the players kept running about and made sure their performance levels didn't dwindle because of the partisan crowd that turned up to watch them.

We got to learn a few things from a comprehensive City performance, and here are they.

City players' energy levels were so invigorating to see

City played with verve and panache

Ahead of the game, there were question marks over the mentality of the City players, and whether they would turn up for a game such as yesterday's.

Over the last 3-4 seasons, we have seen City, as a unit, not turn up or be a little lethargic in their approach to these kinds of games, but there were no traces of complacency from each one of the City player who played last night.

In fact, it was so good to see City players fighting for every ball, tackle hard and play as a unit while attacking or defending. It was as though Pellegrini's men challenged themselves to be a better side, irrespective of how the visitors performed.

Overall, City attempted an impressive 34 tackles, made 22 interceptions and 34 clearances, which is a testament to their work-rate and commitment last night. And it was one of the marquee aspects of City's victory over QPR.

Shambolic QPR allowed certain City players to gain some confidence

There has been no doubt that certain personnel in the City camp have struggled for form over the course of this season, which has had an inhibiting effect on their team as a whole.

QPR didn't bother to take the game to the home side

The likes of Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando Reges and Kolarov would have expected better performances of themselves before the season began.

Yes, you could argue that Mangala and Fernando have come into a new league and taken time to settle down, but let us not forget that they showed great potential during their times at FC Porto, which captured the attention of Txiki Begiristain who subsequently brought them to the Etihad.

But the duo's performances have not been up to the expected standard and the confidence levels have surely been low for much of this season.

Same applies to the Serbian, who performed very well in Pellegrini's first season in-charge of the club. But he has also struggled for form, suffered a calf injury prior to the first Manchester derby of the season, and only over the last month has he been able to get a run of games in the side.

The aforementioned trio performed well against Spurs, too, but yesterday's game against the Rangers was a terrific opportunity to build more confidence and regain their form, even though the season is nearing its end.

Yesterday's outing against a disillusioned QPR would have allowed the trio of Fernando, Mangala and Kolarov to reflect on themselves and the mistakes they have committed at various stages during this campaign.

City played with great rhythm and precision

By way of scoring six goals yesterday, City took their tally to 77 goals in the Premier League this season.

However, how often have we, this season, seen the Citizens play the brand of football they did yesterday? Not in many games, for sure.

Yes, QPR's ineptitude allowed the hosts to play the game at their own pace, which they did with great aplomb, but it was definitely an attractive performance filled with some magical moments.

Silva was at the heart of most City moves

Silva, as is often the case, was at the heart of most City attacks, taking up positions in the center of the field and orchestrating the proceedings for his side. The Spaniard created 5 chances altogether, in addition to completing 3 of 5 attempted take-ons and 87% of his passes, and finally capped off his performance with a calmly taken goal.

The likes of Fernandinho and Frank Lampard were also in very good form, combining very well with Silva and doing their bit to not affect City's attacking rhythm that we haven't seen for much of this season.

Wilfried Bony, with his assist for Silva's goal and second key pass for Milner's goal from a corner delivered by Kolarov, also put in an eye-catching performance as a substitute.

It will definitely rank as one of City's best performances, at least in an attacking sense, of the season.

It was a team performance, for sure

You can point to Aguero's hat-trick and Silva's all-round display, as the highlights of City's win over QPR.

Every City player chipped in with a good performance

But, in hindsight, it was a comprehensive City performance that had every player putting his hand up and playing his role to perfection: Joe Hart was flawless whenever he was called into action; Martin Demichelis and Mangala put in another good defensive performance; Pablo Zabaleta and Milner were dogged in their efforts at right-back and right-attacking-midfield, respectively; Kolarov, Fernandinho and Silva combined very well down the City left-hand-side; Lampard did his bit as a No.10, and we already have noted the classic Aguero.

Yesterday's performance might well have arrived at an inconsequential stage of the season, but very few sides can cope with City when they play like they did yesterday.

We cannot read too much into it, even though it was a top drawer performance

The headline says it all, really.

Pellegrini will be happy, but know it is all about next season

Coming to the end of the season, with no silverware to fight for, it was good to see City players and Pellegrini motivate themselves and produce the kind of performance they did against Chris Ramsey's side.

However, the calibre of the City's opponents meant that the home side wasn't pushed or tested to their limits, which cannot be an ideal scenario to learn about yourself.

Also, with the season about to end, City getting into form cannot be significant. Can it?

Final Thought

Yesterday's victory, and Liverpool's draw with Chelsea, assured City of a place in next season's UEFA Champions League, though they are still in need of two more points from their remaining two games in order to finish 2nd or 3rd on the table.

Pellegrini and his troops would be satisfied with their performance last night and fettle they are in, going into two attractive fixtures against Swansea City (away) and Southampton (home) that will pull the curtains on the season.

On the downside, it is a shame that such a beautiful performance has arrived so late on in the season, when City, barring a place in the Champions League, do not have much to play for.

Barclays Premier League Preview: Manchester City vs Queens Park Rangers

City are fifth in the list of most valuable football clubs, as appraised by Forbes

Manchester City, the 2013/14 English Champions, host Queens Park Rangers (QPR) at the Etihad Stadium in Matchweek 36 of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season, looking to make it four wins on the trot when Chris Ramsey's men come to town this Sunday.

City, having relinquished their hard-earned crown to Chelsea, have little to play for, although they would want to finish second or third on the Premier League table, that will assure them of direct qualification into the group stages of next season's UEFA Champions League.

The Londoners, on the other hand, have very little chance of avoiding relegation, as they need 9 points from their remaining fixtures and hope that the results elsewhere go their way. However, they first need to win at the Etihad this Sunday afternoon, to keep themselves in contention.

Will Ramsey come up with a tactical masterclass to outwit the tried and tested Manuel Pellegrini? Or, will the Citizens hand a hammering to the Rangers on their way into the Championship next season? Read on... to know more.

City

The Sky Blues have garnered plenty of delight over Sergio Aguero's majestic goal scoring form that has seen the affable Argentine striker score 5 goals in his side's last four games.

Sergio Aguero is a special player, at least in the eyes of City supporters

He scored a simply magnificent goal against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane last Sunday, taking his tally to 22 league goals for the season and put himself in pole position to win the Premier League golden boot.

Apart from their No.1 striker's form, City, as a team, have not been coruscating by any stretch of imagination: their defense has been opened up on a number of occasions; they had to give sweat and blood to overcome Aston Villa at the Etihad; and last weekend it was Joe Hart, who saved the blushes for his side.

On another note, however, City have been able to win ugly, which is not unacceptable at this stage of the season.

The likes of Fernandinho, who earlier this week got selected for the Brazil national team to take part in the Copa America which begins in June, Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov, have stepped up their performance levels and been crucial to their side's recent triumphs.

The rest of the team, which includes David Silva, Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis, have done well in patches, but the performances - unconvincing, lacking cohesion, exuding lethargy and not showing enough desperation - have epitomized the kind of season City have endured.

City have turned their form around since the derby defeat

Looking beyond the negatives, however, a majority of the City supporters have liked Pellegrini setting his side up in the 4-2-3-1 system, which they believe suits their side more than the Chilean's favored 4-4-2 does.

It remains to be seen if the former Malaga manager decides to play two strikers for Sunday's game, which would not be goofy given that Wilfried Bony should have regained fitness and City, at the Etihad, are expected to dominate possession, unless they decide to let QPR have the ball and challenge them to break the home side down.

For their own good, the Citizens need to score that first goal early on in the game. The visitors, given the situation they are in at the moment, will show determination and desire to do themselves justice, so Pellegrini's side cannot expect things to be easy.

It is difficult to anticipate what sort of a game it could turn out to be, as Ramsey's men need to go for it and cannot afford to let City dictate terms to them.

However, having said that, an open game will favor the hosts and Pellegrini, who will be confident of outscoring their opponents, if they decide to come out and play fair.

Though you expect City to register a straightforward victory, I doubt them having it all their own way. QPR's situation will make for an intriguing viewing and force the Citizens to not take things lightly, as they have a propensity to not be completely switched on in games of this kind.

Rangers

The Londoners have endured another torrid campaign that has seen them struggle to win games away from Loftus Road, where they have been decent for a relegation-threatened outfit.

Performance wise, you got to say that the Rangers have not been as bad as their season's away record suggests. It, however, is difficult to comprehend their tally of just 7 points from a possible 51 while playing away, and such a scandalous away record has no doubt contributed to their current situation.

Against the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, away from home, they played a good brand of football and could have drawn those games if they had been focused after scoring the equalizer, but they simply haven't managed to harness such opportunities.

Their season's solitary positive so far, has been the goal scoring form of Charlie Austin, who has scored 17 league goals and rescued his side on many an occasion.

Charlie Austin has helped his side garner as many as 13 points in the league

More impressively, 8 of Austin's 17 goals have resulted in QPR winning as many as 13 points, which is almost half the tally of points they are on at the moment.

The likes of Leroy Fer and Joey Barton have done their bit to the team's cause, but Ramsey, and Harry Redknapp before him, have been short on resources and not had enough players in their existent squad deliver the goods.

They come into this Sunday's game on the back of winning just one - against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns - of their last six fixtures, but it is safe to say that they ought to throw the kitchen sink over these last three games and enjoy their time in the English top flight.

They also have not been fortunate with the kind of fixtures they have had to face during the run-in, and their Sunday's opponents, if they are in the mood, will show them no mercy.

Ominously for them, City have recovered their home form and not lost at their own den in the last six league fixtures, a record they would want to hold onto by the end of this campaign.

QPR have struggled to win away from home in the Premier League this season

There are ways in which QPR can make life disconcerting for the Sunday's hosts, who have shown vulnerability in defending set-pieces and when they are up against really pacey sides, as Spurs showed last Sunday.

The visitors, though, cannot be solely intent on attacking, as they will have to defend for a majority of the game and stop the likes of Aguero, Silva and Fernandinho from finding their A-game.

From QPR's perspective, they got to be at their best and hope that City have one of their bad days.

Final Thought

This should be an intriguing fixture from both sides' perspective, with City wanting to finish this season on a positive note while also looking forward to the next season.

Many a player in that squad is playing for his place and Pellegrini too, is looking to show the hierarchy that he deserves to be in his position when next season commences on the 8th of August.

QPR, albeit will find it extremely difficult to topple the leading club in Manchester, can give it a real go and do justice to themselves.