Shanghai SIPG to unleash Gyan tonight

Chinese giants Shanghai SIPG will unleash their Ghanaian dangerman Asaoah Gyan tonight when they play bitter rivals Shanghai Shenhua in the biggest clash of the top-flight this weekend.

Swede coach Seven Goran Eriksson is will start his key targetman as he eyes the derby win to get his side’s start to the new season back on track.

SIPG, who are strongly fancied to challenge defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande for the CSL title this season, got off to a shaky start last week when they were beaten 1-0 by Henan Jianye.

They played the opening match of the season without Gyan who was recovering from a knee injury and his absence was blamed for their defeat says SIPG coach Eriksson.

“We didn’t show our full ability against Henan,” said Eriksson, who is still waiting to see an impact from his expensively-assembled forward line which includes Dario Conca, Asamoah Gyan and €18.5m club-record signing Elkeson.

The Swede was coy when asked about the chances of new signing Asamoah Gyan making his first league appearance for the club tonight.

“I could answer but I choose not to,” said the former England manager.

“It’s a question I want (Shenhua manager Gregario) Manzano to think about.”

The game is shaping up to be a face-off between two of the league's most expensively assembled forward lines with Manzano’s Shenhua having outlaid in excess of €10 million on bringing in attacking players Obefami Martins and Freddy Guarin during the close season.

But it was another pricey acquisition in Demba Ba who rescued a point for Shenhua last week when he levelled from the penalty spot during the closing stages of their curtain-raising 1-1 draw against newly promoted Yanbian Funde.