A day for Champions?


back in the side?

By Andy Leggott
April 5 2002

City's penultimate home game of the season sees them with the oppurtunity to be crowned Division 1 champions. The visitors are relegation threatend Barnsley and a win will confirm the title as City's.

With the return of Danny Tiatto from injury and suspension, City are likely to make the one change from the team that won so well at Wolves on Easter Monday. Tiatto should return in place of Sun Jihai which will allow Monday's hero, Shaun Wright-Phillips, to revert to the right wing back role. Eyal Berkovic is once more close to full fitness but I doubt very much if KK will risk him against a side fighting for its life. Jon Macken will retain his place up front as the Goat serves a one match suspension for his sending off at Stockport.

Barnsley probably need the 3 points more than City, as relegation to the second division stares them in the face. They can't expect any favours though from a City side that knows the title is theirs with a win. Steve Parkins pre match comments suggests that their tactics will be to try and kick Ali and Hucks out of the game so don't expect a footballing opposition.

For once the standard of football shouldn't matter. City fans will go to the game in the knowledge that a first trophy in 26 years is theirs for the taking. Promotion may well have been achieved on the Friday evening if Wolves fail to win at Millwall, however if Wolves do win it will only be delaying the inevitable. Expect City to match their visit to Oakwell with a comfortable 3-0 win and let the party begin.

CITY ARE BACK

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