City turn on the style as Manuel Pellegrini gets his Etihad tenure up and running with a devastating display against an out-of-sorts Newcastle. While the hosts dazzled going forward, their injury problems at the back mounted after their skipper was subbed off before the final whistle:
The Game Changer
With four goals over the pre-season fixtures, Edin Dzeko had finished the summer as top scorer for Manuel Pellegrini’s side. The new City boss had responded by suggesting the Bosnian was his main striker – a comment many thought that, somewhere along the line, had been lost in translation.
A brace for Bosnia in last week’s defeat by the USA, however, signalled his form ahead of this evening’s match with Newcastle and Pellegrini backed up his faith by selecting Dzeko over Alvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic as Sergio Aguero’s partner in a 4-2-2-2 formation.
Fantasy managers have been stung by Dzeko before but tonight’s showing is hugely encouraging for a player that is so favourably priced across the Fantasy games. He may have delivered just one assist from this evening’s encounter but his display deserved so much more – he managed an impressive eight shots; equalling the sum total offered by David Silva, Aguero, Yaya Toure and sub Negredo. With a trip to Cardiff and home clash against Hull, he looks the ideal replacement for those looking for an escape route from Romelu Lukaku.
The Underused
Having failed to play all pre-season, Sergio Aguero was treated with caution by Fantasy managers as the campaign got underway. With summer recruits Negredo and Jovetic added to the mix, it looked more likely than Pellegrini would ease him back into the fold for the first three games, affording Aguero time to return to full fitness over September’s international break.
Instead, the Argentine was installed alongside Dzeko for the demolition of Newcastle, with Jovetic unable to even make the bench. As the hosts swept the sorry Magpies aside, Aguero was quick to open his account for the season – slotting home just after 20 minutes to put his side two ahead.
Subbed off just after the hour mark, it’s apparent Pellegrini will remain careful with his game time but, while Robin Van Persie squares up to Chelsea and Liverpool in consecutive weeks, Aguero’s 7% Fantasy Premier League ownership makes him a deadly differential for back-to-back showdowns against two promoted sides.
The Selection Poser
The sight of Vincent Kompany limping off with what appeared to be a groin problem leaves Pellegrini sweating on his defensive options ahead of the trip to Wales. With City’s other first-choice central defender Matija Nastasic still to return to action after sustaining an ankle injury over the summer, Joleon Lescott’s security of starts now looks a little more secure at the heart of defence.
Micah Richards’ official twitter account has this evening claimed he, too, is sidelined “for a few weeks†with a hamstring injury – potentially, Javi Garcia may have to slot in alongside Lescott if the injuries don’t improve over the weekend. Depending on the Kompany prognosis, Pellegrini may go shopping for cover before the transfer window is closed.
