Premier League updates from the 3pm GMT kick-off at the Etihad StadiumLive Premier League clockwatch – follow all the latest action nowLive scoreboard! Follow all of the action from New Years Days gamesAnd feel free to email conrad.leach.casual@theguardian 2.40pm GMT It does grate, doesnt it, a bit like when ITV used to show Manchester United Champions League games with nothing riding on them. 2.37pm GMT Some thoughts on BT Sports possible over-exposure of Manchester City from Dan Lane, a very nice reader. He asks: “Does anyone know when BT Sport are going to make it official and change their name to Man City TV? Ive no stats in front of me but it feels like City are on BT Sport a lot. Does it feel like that to anyone else?” 2.33pm GMT But hes not playing for Gus Poyet today - hes a pundit for BT Sport. 2.32pm GMT Julio Arca, Sunderland legend, is on the pitch 2.26pm GMT Pantilimon also plays against his former club. But non want-away Lampard is on the bench for City. Your thoughts on Frank reneging on his promise to join New York... 2.17pm GMT Joe Hart is on the bench, should Willy Caballero have to come off. 2.13pm GMT For Sunderland, Jack Rodwell gets to play his former team, but Lee Cattermole is out injured. 2.11pm GMT Other team news: Fernando is suspended for one game for City and Toure was a slight doubt but is obviously fit enough. Jovetic is back, relieving James Milner of his forward duties for now. 2.08pm GMT We should get some clarification on why Joe Hart isnt playing before too long, but Manuel Pellegrini may just be trying to rest his goalkeeper. 2.07pm GMT No Joe Hart for City 2.06pm GMT Sunderland: Pantilimon, Vergini, Jones, Brown, OShea, Rodwell, Larsson, Gomez, Johnson, Buckley, Wickham. 2.05pm GMT Man City team: Caballero, Zabaleta, Mangala, Demichelis, Clichy, Fernandinho, Silva, Navas, Nasri, Toure, Jovetic 2.00pm GMT Stat Sunderland have drawn 11 of their 19 league games this season, and six in their last nine. 2.00pm GMT One more thing Sunderlands defence away from home has been very impressive since they were gubbed 8-0 at Southampton in October. Five away games since then, and theyve kept four (consecutive) clean sheets, and they only conceded one goal in the other game, a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace. The highlight of their away form was their 1-0 win at Newcastle. Could they top that today...? 2.00pm GMT Manchester City: the year so far They have managed to hold on to Frank Lampard until the end of the season, which is probably a good thing. But, just a reminder he is not the goal machine of old, he only scored twice from October to December, although one of those was the winner at Leicester.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 14:47:18 +0000