Preview: City v Blackburn

Fat Sam's Blackburn come to Eastlands tonight, a weekend decimated by the bad weather giving us what is effect our game in hand. New gaffer Roberto Mancini will be hoping to extend his 100% record, and a defence that has excelled so far under the Italian could earn their fourth successive clean sheet. A win would take us above Spurs and leave us within touching distance of the 'Big Three'.

Putting together an eighteen-man match squad at all is a difficult task. Wayne Bridge, Joleon Lescott and Michael Johnson have knee injuries, the England defenders should both be back within three weeks. Stevie Ireland is still missing with a hamstring problem, Nedum Onouha a calf strain, and Shaun Wright-Phillips an ankle niggle. Roque Santa Cruz (calf), Robinho and Micah Richards (both groin) aren't 100% but should play some part. Kolo Toure is obviously in Angola, Emmanuel Adebayor back in the UK but absent after the shootings earlier this week.

Top-notch nobhead El-Hadj Diouf serves the first match of a two-game ban for a stupid challenge on international team-mate Habib Beye at Villa last week. Aussie duo Vince Grella and Brett Emerton are Sam Allardyce's only injury concerns, both slight doubts with thigh and groin knocks, respectively.

Through a combination of good results and a worrying list of absentees the side more or less picks itself at the moment. Academy graduate Dedryck Boyata may have to make do with a place on the bench, but did enough on his full debut to impress. Picking between Sylvinho and Javi Garrido may, fitness levels permitting, be Mancini's only other real decision.

I expect we'll see a 4-4-2, and with Martin Petrov looking dangerous from his wrong side, and Tevez and Bellamy showing signs of forging a good understanding, we should be able to cause Blackburn problems. Away from home this season Allardyce has generally gone with one attacker, flooding the midfield to little effect, his side winning just five points on the road so far, and scoring only seven times.

The dangerman for Blackburn, especially this season during which he's looked back to his early career best, is midfielder David Dunn. He'll most likely play as the most advanced of their central midfield three, probably off Roberts or di Santo, and given time on the ball he could have a say in affairs. As usual at home, though, how teams cope with us on the break will determine whether they take anything. I can't see it tonight.

Possible teams:
City: Given, Zabaleta, Garrido, Richards, Kompany, de Jong, Petrov, Barry, Tevez, Bellamy, Robinho

Blackburn: Robinson, Chimbonda, Givet, Samba, Nelsen, Andrews, Emerton, Nzonzi, Dunn, Roberts, Pedersen

Prediction: City 3 Blackburn 0