KEY ISSUES FOR BLUES
■ ONE, TWO, THREE
THE chances of City overhauling their own English record of 169 goals in all competitions in a season are pretty remote - it would require them to score 40 in a possible 10 remaining games, most of them against top-quality opposition.
But the Blues have already rattled in 130 in this campaign, and the total of 143 set by United in 1956 - a record which lasted until Manuel Pellegrini’s free-scoring team broke it in 2013-14 with 156 - is within their sights.
So if the Blues manage another 14 goals from their remaining games, they will be placed first, second and third in terms of English football’s highest scorers in a season.
■ RELENTLESS PEP
CITY fans would normally be clamouring for the kids to be given a chance at this stage of the season, with little to play for in the remaining four league games.
But Pep Guardiola is big on respecting the sanctity of competitions and, while Brighton appear to be safe from relegation, he is unlikely to start fielding significantly weakened teams.
The manager wants second place, and he also wants momentum going into next weekend’s FA Cup semi-final, but he can rest a few against Bournemouth next Wednesday and still be fair to the other relegation strugglers. Guardiola’s mantra is to pick a team capable of winning the game he knew a back four of Joao Cancelo, Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones and Aleks Zinchenko would barely come under
threat from Newcastle. Expect more of the same.
■ CAS SHADOW
THE game is being slightly overshadowed by the Court of Arbitration (CAS) decision announcement on Monday, which will influence City’s future for the next few years, not just the two years of the current Uefa ban.
But the players have been told they need to remain professional and control what they are able to control, which is results on the pitch.
A point would be enough to secure a top-four finish, given City’s huge goal difference. That will mean an 11th successive season of
Champions League football for the Blues, if the CAS rule in their favour.
And three points would seal second place, which Guardiola has made a target for his players.
■ STONES CHALLENGE
THE re-introduction of John Stones for Wednesday’s 5-0 win over Newcastle could not have been more gentle.
He probably needed an easy game after a troubled season, and given the fact he was injured again during the lockdown, they don’t come much easier.
Brighton, on their own pitch, might provide a stiffer test and it will be interesting to see if Stones gets a more testing opportunity.
■ FIRST AND LAST
THE Amex Stadium is a happy ground for the Blues, with two wins from their two visits there.
The first was the opening victory of the 2017-18 season, by 2-0, which sparked an astonishing run of 58 points from the first 60, and left their would-be title rivals gasping on the start line.
And the second was the last game of last season, when City still needed a victory to hand off a relentless challenge from Liverpool.
On a balmy afternoon on the south coast, of course, City went behind before storming back to win 4-1, a win followed by an uproarious flight back north.