Wednesday 8 April 2015 07:38, UK
Manchester City slipped to fourth in the Premier League on Monday evening following a 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, prompting questions over the futures of Manuel Pellegrini and many of his top stars.
Monday Night Football experts Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher insisted big changes need to be made at the club this summer and suggested that the ageing squad may need an overhaul.
So who should be kept and who should be chopped? We asked Soccer Saturday pundit Paul Merson to cast his eye over the squad and wield the axe...
GOALKEEPERS
Joe Hart
He’s not going anywhere, he’s been one of their best players this season and he seems to raise his game in the Champions League.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
Willy Caballero
They could probably get better back-up, but it’s not a priority this summer.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
DEFENDERS
Vincent Kompany
He’s had a bad season but he’s still top drawer. He’s still got a lot to offer them and they can’t sell him on the back of one bad year after everything he’s done for them.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
Pablo Zabaleta
I really like Zabaleta, I’d like to think they’ll keep him. Again, he hasn’t had the best of seasons, but he still has a lot to offer – they will still win football matches with him in the team.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
Bacary Sagna
I didn’t really see the point in bringing him in in the first place. He’s 32 now, I don’t see him having much of a future at City.
MERSE SAYS: GET RID
Eliaquim Mangala
They paid a lot of money for him and I don’t think they would be able to get that back, so they will have to keep him.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
Gael Clichy
They will probably keep him as cover but it’s an area I expect them to invest in this summer.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
Martin Demichelis
He has only recently signed a new contract so he will be kept, but I don’t see him playing too much.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
Aleksandar Kolarov
I like him, but I think he’ll go. I think they need to address that area of the field and he’ll probably fancy a move maybe to Italy at this stage of his career.
MERSE SAYS: GET RID
Dedryck Boyata
He’s relatively young and the squad is quite old as it is, so I think they’d be wise to keep him, he might still build on that potential.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
MIDFIELDERS
Yaya Toure
I think they’ll sell him now. The way he played in the last 15 minutes at Crystal Palace – he should be doing that for 90 minutes every week – that’s how good he is. But he’s not and I don’t know if his heart is in it at City any more.
MERSE SAYS: GET RID
Sami Nasri
I’d keep him. There would be a lot of people in for him if they decided to sell him, but I don’t think they’ll do that.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
David Silva
He’s an absolute must-stay, a top-drawer player. They can’t even consider letting him leave.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
James Milner
He’s going anyway, probably to Liverpool I would think. But how they’re letting someone like him go is just beyond me.
MERSE SAYS: I'D KEEP HIM, BUT HE'LL GO
Fernando
It hasn’t really worked out, has it? I don’t know what it is he does. What does he offer?
MERSE SAYS: GET RID
Fernandinho
Again, I’m not sure what he brings to the table. He’s not going to win you trophies and after two seasons I think he might be off.
MERSE SAYS: GET RID
Jesus Navas
I think he will go, he’s been disappointing. He’s had about two good games that I can remember, and that’s not nearly enough.
MERSE SAYS: GET RID
STRIKERS
Sergio Aguero
They need to keep him and I don’t think they will have any problems doing so.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
Edin Dzeko
I think Dzeko will go. He’s a good player, a very good player, but I think he wants to play a lot more so I can see him going.
MERSE SAYS: GET RID
Wilfried Bony
I thought it was an awful lot of money they paid for him. But they’ve paid it now so they have to make it work.
MERSE SAYS: KEEP
Stevan Jovetic
He’ll be gone. He didn’t even make the Champions League squad so, for me, that’s pretty much curtains for him.
MERSE SAYS: GET RID
MANAGER
Manuel Pellegrini
They’ve got all that money and all that talent, and they’re still only fighting for fourth place. He’s struggled badly this season and there’s no way they’ll keep him on now.
MERSE SAYS: GET RID
Manchester City play Manchester United live on Super Sunday from 3.30pm on Sky Sports 1.
