Results in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday favoured City’s quest for the seventh-place spot that should ensure qualification for next season’s Europa League.
A win for the Blues over Fulham today would put them into eighth in the table, three points behind West Ham in seventh.
City have won six consecutive home league games, but the visit of Roy Hodgson’s side, also very much in the mix for seventh, comes just a couple of days after the gruelling defeat in Hamburg. Nigel de Jong and Valeri Bojinov are eligible for today’s encounter, a welcome addition to Hughes’ options given the injuries to Vincent Kompany and Craig Bellamy that will keep them out of action.
Three vital games this week are a big ask, but the Manager is confident that City can kick it off with a win today, saying:
We’re still very much in the mix for seventh, and it’s an important Premier League game. It’s our bread and butter, and we’re looking to continue the good home form we have shown of late.
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“It’s difficult because I am asking the same players to play week in, week out but I have to play them because we want the right quality on the pitch to compete against teams such as Hamburg. At times it can come back and compromise things, so we will just have to see who is fit and available for Fulham.
“Some of the guys did not take part on Thursday and could well feature.”
