Manchester City's loss to Stoke City, coming as it did between their convincing win over Liverpool and the international break, can easily be written off as the predictable outcome of a "trap game."
Add to those elements that Arsenal were the next side on the Premier League slate after Stoke City, and the temptation to look past Mark Hughes' charges may well have been irresistible.
Here's the problem, though. If you succumb to that line of thinking, then this match with Arsenal at the Emirates is yet another trap game.
Three days after the Arsenal match, City go to Germany to take on Bayern Munich in their first match in Group E of Champions League pool play. And after that, City welcome Chelsea to the Etihad in league play.
Goalkeeper
There may come a time in the not-so-distant future where Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini gives Willy Caballero the starting goalkeeping spot at Manchester City.
It should not be now, though.
Hart's weak effort to stop Mame Biram Diouf's strike did not cost Manchester City a result against Stoke City. But it certainly did not help their effort much.
Until Hart makes an inexcusable error, though, his job is probably safe. Pellegrini would surely prefer that Hart play well for an extended period of time rather than start the goalkeeper carousel in September.
Defenders
Manchester City are almost certain to start Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta against Arsenal. Kompany is the captain (often City's sine qua non) and Zabaleta is the defender City boss Manuel Pellegrini trusts most to make the overlapping runs that can devastate opposing defenses.
Central Midfielders
There are potential mysteries and positional battles all over the pitch at Manchester City. Except here. Yaya Toure and Fernando will man the central midfield unless injury interferes.
Fernando "was substituted during the weekend defeat by Stoke with a groin injury and has been treated at Carrington ever since. The Blues have given no bulletin on his condition, but MEN Sport understands that there is not a great deal of concern about the injury," wrote Stuart Brennan for the Manchester Evening News last week.
You could make an argument that Fernandinho's pace as opposed to Fernando's physical presence would be the better fit against the speedy midfielders Arsenal will deploy.
Wingers
David Silva will surely start against Arsenal, and Samir Nasri is also a very likely choice.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini likes to bring Jesus Navas on for Nasri when he can, and he has been known to put James Milner on for Silva if City have a lead late. Neither Navas nor Milner are much pleased with their secondary roles but for now this is the order of things at City.
With Stevan Jovetic likely out against Arsenal, City manager Manuel Pellegrini has a difficult decision to make.
Pellegrini wants to play with two strikers whenever he can. But Alvaro Negredo is gone (and he is still injured, anyway) and Jovetic probably cannot go. That leaves Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko, whose strike partnership over the years has vacillated between being grudging and being uneasy.
Source: Bleacher Report
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