If Manchester City’s rivals think their goals will dry up with top scorer Sergio Aguero set to miss up to eight weeks through injury, they should think again.
Edin Dzeko believes he can fill the void left by Aguero, who could be out for longer than initially feared with a calf injury.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side have been unstoppable in front of goal this season, netting 75 goals in 25 games across all competitions. Yet Aguero’s 19 strikes make up more than a quarter of those.
City are on course to beat Chelsea’s Barclays Premier League record haul of 105 goals in one season, set in 2009-10. City have scored 47 goals in their first 16 league games compared to Chelsea’s 40 at this stage three years ago. Again, 13 of those — almost a third — came from the Argentina international.
‘This is very bad for the team because Sergio has had an amazing season, scoring a lot of goals, and he is an important player for us,’ Dzeko said after netting twice against Leicester in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday to take his team into the semi-finals. ‘Now we have to play games without him, and try to win — there are a lot of players who want to play.’
The Bosnian added: ‘I am a striker that has scored goals all my life, and I love to do it. When I get a chance I’m trying always to score goals.’
Dzeko’s double against Leicester took the 6ft 4in forward’s tally to nine in his past 14 games, despite Pellegrini usually preferring Aguero and Alvaro Negredo.
Pellegrini has stuck to an attacking philosophy, even away from home where the Chilean has persisted with two men up front.
In the league, it has not worked out on the road. City’s record of four defeats, four draws and only two wins has hampered their title charge. Pellegrini would do well to look to away-day assassin Dzeko when they travel to Fulham on Saturday.
Dzeko has scored 21 league goals away from home and only 12 at the Etihad Stadium since he signed. Negredo has managed only one goal in his past seven away matches.
Away form may not be the only thing threatening City’s title chances — the injuries are also piling up. Pablo Zabaleta pulled up with a hamstring problem against Leicester and joined fellow full back Micah Richards, Matija Nastasic, Stefan Jovetic and Aguero on the sick list.
It leaves Pellegrini without his preferred options at right back and he may turn to the inexperienced Dedryck Boyata, 23, who has not played in the league for more than two years. The versatile James Milner is ready to provide cover if Pellegrini feels he needs an older head.
City underlined their determination to develop more of their own players on Wednesday with the news that they will sign 15-year-old Norwegian goalkeeper Kjetil Haug.
The teenager, who plays for Sarpsborg 08, had trials with Manchester United and Arsenal but his father and agent Cato Haug said: ‘Kjetil will be going to City next summer.’
Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂
