Manchester City have been in iffy form of late, slipping behind Arsenal and Leicester City in the table again and earning only two wins in their last five English Premier League matches. They need a win in a bad way to keep the pressure on Leicester and Arsenal, and they’re hoping that Swansea City will be compliant to their needs.
Manchester City vs. Swansea 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch EPL online
Swansea just fired their manager, so this is probably a good time for Manchester City to face them and hopefully get a much-needed win.
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For their part, Swansea are struggling badly. They fired manager Garry Monk this week after failing to win a single match since late October, and falling all the way down to 15th in the table and one point above the relegation zone. That’s a steep fall from the hot start that had people considering Monk for the England job, and it’s got Swansea fans scratching their heads wondering how to turn their season around. The Swans aren’t a bad team by any means, but their players just haven’t been performing up to snuff. It would take a dramatic reversal in fortunes for them to beat Manchester City -- but with how this season has gone, you never know what’s going to happen.
Key player -- David Silva (Manchester City)
Silva is still working his way back to top fitness after spending some time hurt, but he’s been quite effective in the meantime. Against a midfield that’s had trouble sealing the gap in front of the defense, he could have an absolute field day, setting up opportunities galore for Raheem Sterling and Wilfriend Bony to exploit.
Key Matchup -- Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) vs. Swansea’s fullbacks
Sterling has been in absolutely wonderful form of late for the Citizens, seeming to blossom into a new level of his skill. The youngster presents a significant matchup problem for Swansea’s defense, as neither of their fullbacks -- Neil Taylor and Kyle Naughton -- are particularly well-suited to defending against him. Making matters worse is that he’s going to spend plenty of time on either side of the pitch, making it difficult for Swansea to plan and adjust things to better contain his attack from out wide.
Manchester City injuries and suspensions
Out: Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri, Fernando Reges, Patrick Roberts In doubt: Martin Demichelis
Swansea City injuries and suspensions
Out: Eder, Franck Tabanou
Manchester City are still struggling with injuries, with two key attackers and two key defenders out, headlined by Aguero and Kompany. Those two are nigh-irreplaceable, but City have been managing to muddle through thanks to some strong form from their backups. The absence of Fernando may have been a blessing in disguise, as it forced a return to relying on Fernandinho instead, and he has been excellent.
Match Date/Time: Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, 3 p.m. local
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
TV: NBCSN (U.S. - English), NBC Universo (U.S. - Spanish)
Online: NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S.)
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