mancityblues.com

Stoke City are happy with an unbeaten run in the league of seven games. Bouyed by that, they aim to "have a right go" as Tony Pulis puts it, when they come to Eastlands on Saturday for the FA cup tie. He thinks they have enough power with Etherington, Fuller and Tuncay to put City in their place. He tells us they are the underdog, relishing the chance to beat us at home under the ITV cameras. No doubt the ITV commentators will be keen to point out every single error made by the Manchester millionaires against the poor brave Potters. Let's hope there aren't many.

Since winning his first match in charge, also against Stoke at home on Boxing Day, Mancini and City have gone through a "bit of a blip", capped by the defeat we suffered away at Hull, which was unnecessary and disappointing. Although we didn't play particularly well against Bolton, we had enough to reach a 2-0 scoreline. If we've enough to beat Wanderers, we've enough to beat Stoke. Home and away.

The pressure is on us, or rather on Mancini, to win this game and progress to the quarter-finals. It's a plain fact that the FA Cup or qualification for the champion's league this season is a must. There is no alternative, it's do or die - sh*t or bust.

Every player wants to play in the cup, they will be chomping at the bit when it comes to team selection for this Saturday. Adam Johnson is cup-tied unfortunately, but we can call on the fit again Joleon Lescott, who has a lot to prove under Mancini. The centre of defence is an interesting situation as competition for shirts is increased with Toure, Lescott and Micah's return, and Boyata's excellent displays in their absence, also Vincent Kompany who was a asked to step back from midfield to centre-back, has given first-class displays there. Add to that the strength and intelligence of Nedum Onouha and it leaves Mancini a tough choice, but a good one. I feel it's time Zabaleta had a break.

Craig Bellamy won't make it back until the Liverpool game, but the midfield is still packed with talent, the excellent DeJong is hard to leave out, and then it depends how defensive Mancini sets us up, Vieira obviously is here as enforcer, his forward pass for Ade's goal was inch perfect. Then there's Barry, SWP, Petrov and Stevie Ireland. Ireland is itching to get forward and score goals, but Carlos Tevez covers that role of course, and then the big man in front, idle 'Arry Adebayor, seems to do nothing for eighty minutes but then dazzles us with some sublime skills and scores! (A bit Goat-like, that!). It's a selection headache, but Mancini must be glad of it after January.

It will be a hard game, and we could have asked for an easier draw rather than this excellent Stoke side Pulis has produced, but we are at least at home, and in a good position to extend our unbeaten home run. Mancini will be picking his strongest team. So will Pulis. I really believe we can and will beat Stoke, both at home and away during the week in the league - one of our games in hand. So when we take the dippers at home it will be all the sweeter.

Well I can dream can't I?

CLEVBLUE