Sunday, January 15, 2012

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16.01. (Mon) 21:00 Wigan Athletic - Manchester City

Roberto Mancini
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PROBABLE LINEUPS

WIGAN ATHLETIC

Al Habsi
Stam, Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa Thomas, McCarthy, Jones, Crusat Rodallega, Di Santo
MANCHESTER CITY
 
HartRichards, Savic, Lescott, Zabaleta
Nasri, De Jong, Milner, Silva
Aguero, Dzeko

Wigan Athletic will be without Mohamed Diame as he is on international duty with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Midfielder Hendry Thomas has been asked to step into his place by boss Roberto Martinez and is expected to start.

Winger Albert Crusat is back after a back injury but it may be a game or two too early for Shaun Maloney, who is working his way back to match fitness.

Manchester City will be without key men Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure as the former is suspended following his red card against Manchester United in the FA Cup defeat and the latter is away on international duty with the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Montenegrin Stefan Savic will continue to deputise for City's captain as Toure's brother Kolo is also playing at the tournament whilst Nigel De Jong should take Toure's place.

Spanish maestro David Silva is expected to make a recovery from an ankle injury that kept him out of the League Cup game against Liverpool in mid-week and Italian striker Mario Balotelli is a doubt after limping out of the same game.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Wigan are leading the penalty charts this season, having been awarded six so far.
  • They also have a tendency to fall asleep in the last 15 minutes of a match, conceding 11 times already this campaign.
  • Their strikers aren't so hot either, having scored only 18 times in 20 matches.
  • Roberto Martinez's men are winless in five matches, winning just one of 10 at home this season.
  • Manchester City have won their last four matches against hosts Wigan without conceding a goal.
  • City are winless in their last four away games in the Premier League.
  • Having scored 56 goals already this term, City only need four more goals to equal their goal tally from the whole of last season - and it's only January.
  • It will also be Happy Birthday to Pablo Zabaleta (pictured right) who will be playing on his 27th birthday.
Prediction
Editor's Prediction 
Wigan Athletic 1-3 Manchester City

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16.01. (Mon) 20:45 Napoli - Bologna

Marek Hamsik - Bologna-Napoli - Serie A (Getty Images)
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PROBABLE LINEUPS
NAPOLI


De Sanctis
Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica

Maggio, Inler, Gargano, Dossena

Hamsik, Pandev

Cavani

BOLOGNA



Gillet
Raggi, Antonsson, Cherubin

Pulzetti, Perez, Mudingayi, Morleo

Ramirez

Acquafresca, Di Vaio

The only pressing injury concern for Napoli will be that of Argentine forward Ezequiel Lavezzi, whose muscle strain could potentially keep him out for five more games, having already missed the Partenopei's last three.

Elsewhere, coach Walter Mazzarri is set to ring the changes from the 2-1 win over Cesena in the Coppa Italia midweek, as Morgan De Sanctis, Hugo Campagnaro, Salvatore Aronica, Christian Maggio, Walter Gargano and Goran Pandev are set to replace the sextet of Antonio Rosati, Federico Fernandez, Miguel Britos, Juan Zuniga, Blerim Dzemaili and Eduardo Vargas.

For the visitors, Bologna, Stefano Pioli is expected to make two alterations from the XI that successfully beat Catania 2-0 last weekend to halt a run of three games without a win, as Gianluca Cherubin and Gaston Ramirez should replace injured duo Simone Loria and Alessandro Diamanti.

However, Panagiotis Kone remains sidelined, while Daniele Portanova must see out one more match of his suspension, accrued during his side's 2-0 loss to Roma on December 21.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Bologna's win over Catania ended a run of three winless games.
  • Despite not winning any of their last three away matches, the Rossoblu have have scored at least once in each of their last five fixtures on the road.
  • Bologna have won just one of their last 14 games at the San Paolo in Serie A - a 5-1 win in October 2000.
  • Napoli have lost only one of their last six meetings with Bologna, triumphing in four of them.
  • The Partenopei have netted in each of their last seven league games.
  • They have lost just once in their last eight Serie A fixtures - a 3-1 reverse to Roma on home soil.
  • Slovakian midfielder Marek Hamsik scored three goals over the two clashes with Bologna last season.
  • Edinson Cavani has found the net in his last two Serie A appearances; the first time he has scored in back-to-back league games since last April.
Prediction
A comfortable win should be on the cards for the in-form home side, who will look to make it four on the bounce with a convincing performance on Sunday. The absences of key defensive duo Loria and Portanova are sure to make life even more difficult for Bologna.
Editor's Prediction
Napoli 3-0 Bologna