mancityblues.com

Cisse is one of those players that can't be legislated for atm - we could try man-marking, pushing him wide, playing off him, being "physical", it doesn't really matter. The guy is on fire, and I feel that he and/or Ba will have chances tomorrow. What City need to concentrate on is reducing those chances to a minimum, stay very focused by keeping the ball and sticking to Mancini's game-plan. This will be a far, far tougher game than the United fixture, arguably the hardest (on paper) game of the season along with Arsenal away - Newcastle have a great midfield whether they use Tiote, Cabaye and Jonas in a 4-3-3 or add Ben Arfa in a 4-4-1-1. This is where the game will be decided, and frankly I'm worried about this aspect as City have struggled with high-energy, highly mobile midfields at times this season.

Therefore I'd have to go with the following line-up -

------------------------HART----------------------
ZABA-------KOMPANY----------LESCOTT------CLICHY
--------------------DE JONG--------------------
------------YAYA-----------------BARRY---------
----------------------NASRI---------------------
--------------AGUERO----------TEVEZ-------------

Nige allows Yaya to engage and cancel out Tiote and perhaps Cabaye futher up the pitch than if Yaya is asked to play a deeper role - the Dutchman needs to play a stormer in this tie. Silva misses out - I love him to bits but we need our best/most physical line-up at St James' - so Nasri gets the nod in a diamond midfield, albeit very fluid. Newcastle play in a quite similar way to City, so I feel we need to utilize the players to their maximum, hence taking the shackles off Yaya and fielding both Tevez and Kun. Barry will need to hold alonside De Jong more often than not, and Ben Arfa will be an issue with his pace and skill, but Nasri and one of Tevez or Aguero can drop into midfield if required. Zaba and Clichy will be crucial - Santon on the Newcastle left gets forward well from full-back, with Simpson/Perch (?) doing the same on the opposite flank. Set-pieces are a concern - Newcastle have good delivery and individuals capable of getting on the end of things.

A really intriguing game - City generally have the better players (even most Geordie's must concede that), but Newcastle have the home advantage, are in great form and are playing really dangerous football. Aguero needs to get his shooting boots on, because it could well come down to who takes the most chances in a thrilling end-to-end struggle. If City are going to win the League, we'll have to do it the hard way.

BLOOVIC