Eden Dzeko
Reuters

Manchester City host West Bromwich Albion in the first of the two games in hand for Manuel Pellegrini's side.

Where to Watch Live

The kick-off is set for 8pm BST. Live coverage will be available on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1 HD.

Overview

Pellegrini will be hoping that his side are up to the task against West Brom after dropping two crucial points in the title race against Sunderland in midweek.

Samir Nasri missed an open goal in the final minute of the game to get back two points for the challengers but rushed his shot as Sunderland rode on the back of a Connon Wickham brace to clinch a crucial point in their fight to avert relegation.

City are currently third in the league, nine points behind Liverpool with a superior goal difference and have to win all their games in hand and hope that Chelsea can do them a favour at Anfield when Jose Mourinho's men go visiting in the upcoming week.

The Chilean will be without David Silva and Yaya Toure for the fixture but have enough players on the bench to make up for that loss.

Meanwhile, West Brom have hit some good form of late drawing their last two games, but will be disappointed by the nature of the draw, conceding injury time goals in both occasions. The Baggies will come into the fixture as underdogs which can be a good thing, as was displayed by the Black Cats in the previous fixture. A win here will take them to 36 points and on their way to safety.

What the Managers Say

Manuel Pellegrini: "I think it was more difficult between Liverpool and Sunderland. Now we have more time for the team to recover. I think that we are all conscious that we cannot play in the same way that we played against Sunderland. And I think it will not be so difficult (to raise players' spirits) as for the last game."

Pepe Mel: "The big difference is Pellegrini started in the summer, whereas I came in January, so I've only had three months. If City don't win the league it will be seen as a big disappointment. It's a similar pressure, but I have a shorter period of time to achieve an objective. If you're here for the whole season you have the opportunity to work on the make-up of the team, the style, and a lot of things. It's a lot more difficult if you arrive in January."

Form Guide

Manchester City

  • Last Five(all competitions, most recent first): D L W D W
  • Last Result: Manchester City 2-2 Sunderland

West Bromich Albion

  • Last Five(all competitions, most recent first): D W D L W
  • Last Result: West Bromwich Albion 3-3 Tottenham Hotspur
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