Blue Days

City slipped to defeat in another game of missed chances that saw them ultimately punished by late goals from the Polish champions after Emmanuel Adebayor had equalised at the start of the second half. The pressure ratchets up another notch on Roberto Mancini as qualification from the Europa League group stages may now require the blues to get a result against Juventus.

As expected Mancini made a host of changes from our last Premier League side, and thankfully returned to the more familiar 4-2-3-1 formation. It was good to see Shay Given start, in a move that will give Joe Hart chance to refocus on his game following a busy spell both on and off the pitch.

Given – Hard not to feel for him. No chance with the goals and few opportunities to demonstrate his ability in the rest of the game. 6

Richards – A step backwards from his recent improved form. Some poorly timed tackles, careless in possession and often out of position. Looked tired mentally if not physically. 6

City take on Lech Poznan once again in the Europa League, and hope to get back to the kind of performance that saw Adebayor net a hat-trick first time round. Avoiding defeat will leave City with an excellent chance of sealing qualification with a home victory over Salzburg.

With all the adverse headlines, our “under pressure” manager might be expected to field his strongest team against Poznan in the hope of getting a resounding result. He won’t. Keeping players fresh for the three Premier League fixtures in six days, starting on Sunday, ensures rotation is key.