Manchester City are looking to extend their unbeaten run to 11 games in all competitions as they play host to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
Three points for the Citizens in this game could be enough to confirm their place in the knockout stages if Lyon can pick up the three points in their match versus Hoffenheim so it’s all to play for at the Etihad Stadium for Pep Guardiola and his side.
Read on for Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk live stream options, team news, predicted XIs, stats and TV channel info.
When is Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk?
Competition: Champions League
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Date: Wednesday, 7 November
Kick-off: 8:00PM GMT
Match preview
Manchester City’s only defeat so far this season came at home to Olympique Lyonnais in the Champions League but they still look set to qualify from the group with ease. The Citizens have picked up the maximum six points in their two games since that home loss to Les Gones and are now sitting pretty at the top of the table with three games remaining.
Pep Guardiola’s men were stunned 1-2 at home to the French outfit on matchday one but recovered well to edge out a narrow 1-2 away victory over Hoffenheim in their next fixture thanks to a late David Silva strike. On matchday three, in the reverse of this fixture, they became the first English team in history to beat Shakhtar Donetsk away from home, with goals from David Silva, Aymeric Laporte and Bernardo Silva firing the Blues to a 0-3 victory.
For all of the plaudits and silverware he has received during his time in charge at Bayern Munich and Manchester City, the Champions League trophy has eluded Pep Guardiola since he left Barcelona in 2012. The aim this season is to retain the Premier League trophy once again and add the most-prized possession in European football to City’s growing cabinet for the first time.
Shakhtar Donetsk have made an impression on the Champions League in recent years with some famous wins and terrific performances. Last season, they managed to finish above Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli and qualify alongside Manchester City as runners-up in the group stages and they’ve pulled off some scalps in the last few seasons, including a win over the Citizens at the Donbass Arena last year.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hirnyky have been the dominant force in the Ukrainian Premier League once again this season. With 14 games on the board, Paulo Fonseca’s men have dropped just four available points and as such have already opened up an eight point gap at the top of the table. Can they now translate that domestic form into Europe and pull off a shock win in England on Wednesday night?
Where can I watch live?
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk can be viewed by UK residents on BT Sport 2, channel 415 on Sky, and channel 533 for Virgin Media users. BT Sport subscribers can also watch the game online at sport.bt.com and via their BT Sport app.
The game is also available to watch on fuboTV.
Where did Man City go wrong against Lyon in their last home game?
Manchester City have actually lost their last three home games in the Champions League and Pep Guardiola will be keen to ensure that run doesn’t last any longer. He was not on the sideline in the defeat to Lyon back in September and as such was unable to make tactical tweaks during the game that could have prevented the shock defeat. The French side were excellent in pressing Fernandinho in the middle of the park and blocking the supply lines to David Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. City have to be more comfortable in building from the back if they want to ensure Shakhtar don’t replicate Lyon’s blueprint.
Can Shakhtar’s Brazilian trio hurt City on the break?
After adopting a surprisingly aggressive and attacking approach and being stung by the Citizens in the reverse fixture in Ukraine two weeks ago, expect Shakhtar to adopt a more cautious stance at the Etihad on Wednesday night. Hirnyky were missing two of their most creative players in that game, but Brazilian wingers Dentinho and Taison are back to full fitness and ensuring they can provide service to these two will be key to giving the visitors the opportunity to counter-attack the hosts when they have the ball. From the wide areas, these two will look to feed their countryman Junior Moraes, who has racked up 13 goals in 17 appearances in all competitions so far this term.
Will Guardiola rotate his squad ahead of the weekend’s Manchester Derby?
Given the wealth of options that Pep Guardiola has at his disposal, changes are expected to be made in every game in order to keep players fresh and happy. Vincent Kompany, Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez were among those men left out of Sunday’s starting eleven against Southampton and all three could come in to the starting eleven for this one. Either way, whichever side Guardiola fields he will expect them to come away with the three points.
Head-to-head
Last year’s meetings between these two sides were the first and both side earned victories in their respective home fixtures in the group stages, with both progressing through into the knock-out rounds.
The Citizens overcame Shakhtar 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium, before falling to a 2-1 defeat at the Donbass Arena in the final group stage game with a heavily rotated starting eleven following confirmation of their qualification to the round-of-16. Last month, the Blues became the first English team to beat Donetsk in Ukraine.
Manchester City wins: 2 Draws: 0 Shakhtar Donetsk wins: 1
Team news
Pep Guardiola could be set to rotate his team once again here ahead of the Manchester Derby in the Premier League this weekend. Ilkay Gundogan and Nicolas Otamendi are not likely to be risked, whilst Kevin De Bruyne is absent following the ankle injury he sustained in last week’s EFL Cup win over Fulham. Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo is a long-term absentee.
Brazilian attackers Taison and Dentinho missed out for Shakhtar in the reverse fixture but have both since returned to fitness and are likely to feature for the visitors. Ivan Ordets, Maksym Malyshev and Fernando are all set to miss out for Paolo Foncesca’s side.
Predicted Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Kompany, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, B.Silva, D.Silva, Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus.
Predicted Shakhtar XI: Pyatov; Matvyenko, Krivtsov, Rakitskiy, Ismaily; Stepanenko, Maycon; Taison, Kovalenko, Dentinho; Moraes.
Squawka Prediction
Man City showed their class in their away fixture against Shakhtar last month to win 0-3 and in front of their own fans, that class should shine through again. We can see the same scoreline at the Etihad. 3-0.
Predictions & Betting Tips
Get the BetBull sign-up offer HERE – Ts&Cs apply. +18 only. BeGambleAware.org
1. Man City -2 @ 4/5
Man City managed to win the reverse fixture of this clash by a three goal scoreline and we expect them to win this one by more than three goals too. The Citizens have racked up 13 goals in their last three home games, including six in the weekend win over Southampton and they seem irrepressible when they’re in this kind of form.
With the attacking talent on display through players like Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez, the Citizens always carry a goal threat and with confidence seemingly flowing through Pep Guardiola’s team at the moment, it could be a case of how many the hosts manage to rack up in what is likely to be a comfortable home win here.
Key Stat: Manchester City have scored 13 goals in their last three home matches.
Tip: Man City to win with a two goal handicap @ 4/5 with BetBull – bet here
Odds correct at time of publishing (06/11/2018, 19:45)
18+ only. Ts&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
2. David Silva to score at any time @ 7/4
David Silva’s power doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of waning. Despite the fact that the Spanish maestro turns 33 later this season, he remains the main creative force in this Manchester City side and he picked up his third Premier League goal of the season in the Sunday afternoon victory over Southampton at the Etihad Stadium.
Arguably Silva’s best two performances so far this season though have come in the last two Champions League games and he managed to get on the scoresheet in the wins over both Shakhtar Donetsk and Hoffenheim. We can see him popping up with another goal on Wednesday night and odds of 7/4 for him to do so seem like good value to us.
Key Stat: David Silva has found the net in his last two Champions League outings.
Tip: David Silva to score at any time @ 7/4 with BetBull – bet here
Odds correct at time of publishing (06/11/2018, 19:45)
3. Raheem Sterling to assist a goal @ 7/4
Raheem Sterling is currently sitting joint top of the assists chart in the Premier League with five to his name, but he’s yet to pick up an assist in the Champions League this season.
The England forward laid two goals on for Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane this weekend as well as getting on the scoresheet himself and he is playing with a real verve at the moment. With so many quality finishers around him and City likely to dominate the vast majority of the play, Sterling is bound to create chances in this one.
Key Stat: Raheem Sterling has made six assists in all competitions so far this season.
Tip: Raheem Sterling to assist a goal @ 7/4 with BetBull – bet here
Odds correct at time of publishing (06/11/2018, 19:45)
Search squawkagaming on BetBull to follow all our tips for Tottenham vs PSV and more.
The post Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk predictions and match preview appeared first on Squawka News.
From Squawka NewsSquawka News https://ift.tt/2qu9Q0M
No comments:
Post a Comment