Joe Royle Man. City: Last Season: 2nd Div 1, 89pts W 26 D11 L9 F78 A40 Stadium: Maine Road (117x78yds) Capacity: 31,458 Year Formed: 1887 Manager: Joe Royle Chairman: Mr. D. Bernstein

Paolo Wanchope

City supporters love Goater - "Feed the Goat and he will score" - is one of the Kippax's favourite songs - but they could have a new hero in Weah, who completed his free transfer with a huge smile on his face having been released by Italian giants Milan last week. The Liberian had been in talks with Fulham but the London outfit were unwilling to meet his wage demands. However, newly promoted City saw Weah's contract as no obstacle to their ambition.

George Weah

There is pressure on Royle to consolidate City's position, and without too much anxiety - the last thing the Blues want is a despressing fight for survival - but he will surely be given some breathing space at Maine Road after two successive promotions. Together with Charlton and Ipswich, City will be one of the three new boys fighting to stay in the top flight but, arguably, the best equipped to last the pace.

Steve Howey

Of the three City have the best resources, and they have fantastic support. More significantly, if they do get into trouble, they might just be able to buy their way out of it. The impact Weah has up front, though, will depend on what happens elsewhere on the pitch. If the defence is conceding goals and losing games, it becomes hard for the strikers. If a team is under pressure all the time that means the strikers have to do a lot of donkey work, and the former World Player of the Year won't like that.

But if they get it right Weah can do very well and raise the level of the players around him who haven't played in the Premiership before.

2000-2001 SQUAD NUMBERS

1 Nicky Weaver (G)
2 Lee Crooks (M)
3 Richard Edghill (D)
4 Gerard Wiekens (D)
5 Andy Morrison (D)
6 Kevin Horlock (M)
7 Spencer Prior (D)
8 Ian Bishop (M)
9 Paul Dickov (F)
10 Shaun Goater (F)
11 Terry Cooke (F)
12 Danny Allsopp (F)
13 Tommy Wright (G)
14 Gareth Taylor (F)
15 Alf-Inge Haaland (M)
16
17 Jim Whitley (M)
18 Jeff Whitley (M)
19 Danny Tiatto (D)
20 Gary Mason (M)
21
22 George Weah (F)
23 Paulo Wanchope (F)
24 Steve Howey (D)
25 Richard Jobson (D)
26 Richard McKinney (G)
27 Shaun Holmes (D)
28 Tony Grant (M)
29 Shaun Wright-Phillips (F)
30 Stephen Hodgson (G)
31 David Laycock (M)
32 Leon Mike (F)
33 Chris Killen (F)
34 Mark Kennedy (F)
35
36 Danny Granville (D)
37
38 Rhys Day (M)
39 Dixon Etuhu (M)
40 Chris Shuker (M) Ê

Stephen Jordan (M)
Paul Ritchie (D)

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