Open season for slick City

MANUEL Pellegrini takes a reinvigorated Manchester City side to Cardiff on Sunday in the hope ofo maintain the flying start to the season.

City opened their Barclays Premier League campaign in impressive fashion with a 4–0 thrashing of 10–man Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Monday.

Pellegrini's men were dynamic from the first minute and overran the Magpies with some slick, attacking football.

It was an early indication of the style with which Pellegrini intends to play, the Chilean having been charged with the responsibility of not only winning silverware, but doing so with elegance.

Confidence will be high heading to promoted Cardiff, who lost their first game of top–flight football in 51 years 2–0 at West Ham on Saturday.

City will travel without influential captain Vincent Kompany, who suffered a groin injury in Monday’s game.

Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic, the only one of City's four summer signings not to feature on Monday, is likely to be in contention after a minor hamstring issue.


MANCHESTER United play on Monday. The Reds, who won 4-1 at Swansea last weekend, play Chelsea at Old Trafford in the season’s most significant match so far.