Revenge may well be on the minds of Manchester City when former boss Mark Hughes brings his Stoke side to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.
City were soundly thumped by the Potters back in December and succumbed to defeat in the corresponding fixture last season, so Manuel Pellegrini’s men will be seeking to set the record straight as the battle for the two remaining Champions League places hots up.
Three points is a must if City are to ensure they aren’t on the outside looking in come the end of the season, and to transfer some of the pressure onto closest rivals Arsenal and United.
Pellegrini faces some headaches though. With the small matter of a Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid looming a little over 72 hours after Saturday’s clash with Stoke, the Chilean will have to find a balance which provides vital league points and freshness for Tuesday.
The season has reached its crescendo and crunch time is well and truly upon us. Here I take a look at how we could expect Saturday’s team sheet to read.
