Man City vs Stoke City - Sat 26Th Dec 15:00 pm

A boxing day match awaits and I love it when we play at home on boxing day, it makes my Christmas that much better. Lets just hope we win!

Tomorrow sees the start of yet another 'new era' at City, Roberto Mancini takes charge of his first game as Manchester City manager.

I honestly think that Mancini has a huge pressure to win this game tomorrow, it is an absolute must win for us as far as I am concerned. We have a lot of injuries of course but I am not even going to let them use that as an excuse, if this guy is better than Mark Hughes as the club obviously think then he will be able to work something out.

If we are to make fourth place then we have to start winning game after game starting now. Without trying to be disrespectful we should have enough quality to beat Stoke regardless of injuries, on top of that it is time for people to make their mark and try and stay in the team.

We have to look at Stoke and see a threat tomorrow, not necessarily a threat in the sense that they can beat us but at the very least a threat that can stop us from winning. Stoke are a very decent side when they are playing well and I actually like the way they set up, they are a very strong, physical and organised team who perform the basics of football quite well.

Of course we are a threat to Stoke in a lot of ways but at the same time these kind of teams are not nervous of our threat because they come into these games against good teams with nothing but pride to lose if they don't at least play well.

The battle has to be won in midfield tomorrow, Stoke will not sit back and will certainly be in our faces from the first whistle, we have to be better in that department for sure. I think if we do that then we will not concede and because we know that we can score goals that should win us the game.

Man City Team News:
Joleon Lescott and Wayne Bridge are still out injured and Nedum Onuoha has joined them after picking up a calf injury. Micah Richards is 50/50 after coming off against Sunderland with a knock and SWP is also fighting to overcome an ankle injury, Adebayor is another doubt due to the same problem. Nigel de Jong returns from suspension.

Stoke City Team News:
Stoke are sweating on the fitness of Ryan Shawcross who has been having sugar injections in a groin injury. Robert Huth is back from suspension and could come straight back into the team, Ricardo Fuller and James Beattie are very much pushing for a place back in the starting line up.

Possible Man City Line Up: Given, Richards, Kompany, Toure, Sylvinho, De Jong, Barry, Robinho, Tevez, Santa Cruz, Bellamy.

Possible Stoke City Line Up: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Huth, Abdoulaye Faye, Collins, Whelan, Diao, Whitehead, Etherington, Sidibe, Tuncay.

My Prediction: Man City 3 - 0 Stoke City.

Worth A Bet: Santa Cruz and Tevez score in a 3 - 0 Man City win.