Stoke City vs Manchester City Half-Time Update

Manchester City need three points this afternoon against Stoke to keep up with the leading pack, as 4th play 8th in the Premier League, which at half-time is currently 0-0.

City, currently 8/1 to win league, haven’t been able to control the match as much as they would like; Tevez and Balotelli are showing more frustration in their play than attacking threat; the pair haven’t done too much to threat Stoke goalkeeper Begovic. City had a penalty claim after half an hour when James Milner was tumbled in the box, but referee Peter Walton dismissed any offence had occurred.

Stoke are showing why they have scored eight goals and conceded just two throughout a three-game winning run; midfielders Delap and Whitehead are proving a solid roadblock against the more-expensive Manchester City players, and Pulis’ men have had the better chances so far; for Stoke to be the team to score first goal of the second half, current odds can be found of 13/8. Despite having few first half chances, Kenwyne Jones is 7/1 to be the scorer of the first match goal.

Injury doubts Jermaine Pennant and Andy Wilkinson have made the starting 11, passing late fitness tests for Stoke, meaning they field the same starting line-up that beat West Bromwich Albion 3-0.

Roberto Mancini has made three changes to Sundays 4-1 win over Fulham; Micah Richards returns to the starting 11, replacing the suspended Zabaleta in defence, while Mario Balotelli and James Milner replace Jo and Yaya Toure respectively.

With news that rivals Manchester United are currently thumping Blackburn 3-0 elsewhere in the Premier league, Mancini will need to fire up his players for the second 45 minutes. With attacking players Adam Johnson and Shaun Wright-Phillips on the bench, the Italian may look to change his tactics around, in fear that his side will lose pace on the three clubs above them in the table.

SCFC: Begovic, Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Collins, Pennant, Whitehead, Delap, Etherington, Jones, Fuller.

Substitutes: Sorensen, Higginbotham, Whelan, Gudjohnsen, Wilson, Walters, Sanli

MCFC: Hart, Richards, K. Toure, Kompany, Kolarov, De Jong, Milner, Barry, Silva, Balotelli, Tevez.

Substitutes: Given, Wright-Phillips, Adam Johnson, Boateng, Lescott, Vieira, Jo