[NoSkillz]

Sat. December 20, 2025

Barclays Premier League
Manchester City (11-3-2, 36 points, 2nd) vs. Dover (14-1-0, 43 points, 1st)
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England

Betting Odds: Manchester City: 6-4 (Favourites) Draw: 2-1 Dover: 13-8
Past Meetings: 5W 4D 8L

A huge 1 vs. 2 matchup today at the Etihad. City are a perennial powerhouse in this dynasty and have only twice finished outside the top 3 in the league in the past 13 years, one of which was last year when they finished in fourth. They have won the Premier League eight times, most recently in 2022 and are five time Champions League winners. They were not big spenders in the July transfer window so you have to imagine that they’ll be busy come January, as they only brought in five players at around £10 million total. Arsenal’s 19 year old midfielder Philippe Poisson was the biggest purchase for just over £6 million but he’s a piece for the future and hasn’t suited up in a senior level game as of today. Last year’s leading scorer, the ever dangerous Jelle Hoegee, missed three months with a torn hamstring and is still trying to regain match fitness. Fellow striker Ryan Bonin is hurt and won’t play today so it’s possible we see Vaclav Kadlec up front if Jose Mourinho decides to keep Hoegee on the bench. City is definitely vulnerable today with their injury issues.

We make only one change for today’s game and that is a necessary one, as Sergio De la Vega starts in place of the injured Gianluca Bolis. Bolis should be ready to go for our next game. This game marks the start of a four game stretch in 11 days (and five games in 14 days) so we’ll be rotating our squad quite a bit over the next two weeks. I’m going to stick with a control mentality to start despite being the slightest of underdogs.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - Renato Gaucho, C. Contreras, M. Mutesa, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, B. Raab, Jose, S. De la Vega
S - P. Moses, Chiquinho
Bench - Rafinha, A. Torres, E. Harvey, N. Cairney, M. Pedersen, R. Lopez, A. Broomes

City are in a 4-2-3-1 formation and Hoegee is a surprise starter. He’s clearly very unfit and I have to imagine City hope they can strike early with him then bring on a substitute in the second half. Antonio is their goalkeeper and a very good one at that. For some reason, Sergio De la Vega is overconfident, not a good sign against such a talented club. I tell the lads they can win today.

21’ - And my opinion that City striker Jelle Hoegee wasn’t fit enough to start is correct, as he goes down hard on a challenge and can’t continue. So dumb that they started him today but I guess this is a pretty big game. Vaclav Kadlec comes on for him.

23’ - I wondered if that injury would deflate them a bit and I get my answer immediately, as we work a ball up to Paul Moses. He dribbles through the defence but the ball is tackled away into open space. Latching onto it is Chiquinho and he storms into the area and sends a patented low blast to the far corner and it’s in! Nice! DOVER GOAL 1-0

45’+1 - City work possession and send a long ball over our defence. Winger Jonathan Bottone gets there first and sends a little touch past Wilke and IN. That’s not a good time to give up a goal and City pulls level. MANCHESTER CITY GOAL 1-1

HALFTIME - City have really controlled possession but we’ve had way more opportunities to score. They held 56% of the ball but we outshoot them 10-6 (6-2 on target). Antonio was great in that first half and Moses had a number of great chances that were denied by their keeper. I tell the players I’m pleased thus far but lets go win this.

61’ - City are really controlling play here and dominating the highlights but we finally get possession in their end and have a free kick. Benedikt Raab crosses into the box and the ball is headed by Mwemere Mutesa and it’s past Antonio and IN! Yes!! DOVER GOAL 2-1

I immediately pull back into a counter attacking mentality. City are now holding 60% of the possession so I think we need to sit back a bit more. City also change formation, moving into a 4-3-1-2.

72’ - Rodolfo Lopez comes on and I pull out De la Vega.

79’ - Neil Cairney is on for Jose.

89’ - City are pressing hard but we continue to hold them off. We have possession at midfield with Lopez and he sends a fantastic ball through the defence to Moses. Snake bitten today, Moses rounds the keeper and slots a shot that JUST gets inside the post and it’s IN! The dagger!! DOVER GOAL 3-1

Awesome victory!

Manchester City 1 - 3 Dover
Goals - Chiquinho (7.5), Mwemere Mutesa (8.4), Paul Moses (8.2)
Assists - Benedikt Raab (7.1), Rodolfo Lopez (6.9)
Man of the Match - Mwemere Mutesa
Other Dover Notables - Claudio Contreras (7.4)
Attendance - 62,682

City end up with 56% of possession but we outshoot them 19-11 (13-4 on target). Moses deserved that goal, as he was buzzing around the net all game long and had six shots on target alone. BIG WIN!!!

-- Chelsea continue their resurgence, winning 1-0 over Newcastle and United throttle Southampton 5-1.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 17 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Dover - 46 points (after 16 games)
2. Manchester United - 38 points
3. Manchester City - 36 points
4. Liverpool - 33 points (after 16 games)
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5. Tottenham - 31 points (after 16 games)
6. Chelsea - 30 points
7. Aston Villa - 26 points (after 16 games)
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Dover U18 Update

-- Bakary Kone scores three goals, Fernando Estrada scores twice and Giuseppe Forti adds the single in a 6-0 win over Portsmouth in under 18 action.



Premier League Team of the Week

-- Mwemere Mutesa is selected for the Barclays Premier League team of the week.



Dover Injury Update

-- Rayane Hamon continues to be our only long-term injury and he’ll be out for another three weeks or so.



Next Up

-- We head home for a mid-week Premier League tilt against mid-table Sunderland.