Prediction: Manchester City win
Best Odds: 27/100
Bookmaker: 888sport
The UEFA Champions League is back in our lives this week and fans are buckling up for an incredibly busy schedule between now and Christmas. There are clubs across the continent that will be scratching and clawing to try and qualify for the knockout stage of this great competition and they’ll be doing so in a pretty short period of time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, we’re going to be taking a look at the clash between Manchester City and Porto at the Etihad tomorrow night.
Manchester City
It’s been an uneasy start to the new Premier League campaign for Pep’s side but in a way, the Champions League could serve as the perfect distraction. They’ve got some real depth in their ranks these days and if they can keep things tight at the back they’ll have a very successful season, but as we all know, that’s a big if. They need to start taking it one game at a time instead of looking ahead to a future full of silverware that may not even arrive.
Team News
Zinchenko is expected to sit this one out as an injury doubt whereas the confirmed absences for City include De Bruyne, Jesus, Mendy and Laporte – with Cancelo being tipped to come in due to the fact that Guardiola has no recognised left-back that is fit to play.
Porto
Porto have enjoyed a steady start to their league campaign but there are still memories lingering from that famous year which saw them become European champions in 2004. Nobody really knows whether or not that’s an accomplishment they can try and replicate but again, it’s all about taking things one step at a time. The underdog story is one that many of us are familiar with in this sport and in a year like 2020, anything is possible.
Team News
Goalkeeper Mbaye is the only man to be ruled out officially through injury for Porto, but the good news is that Diaz and Uribe have both recovered from recent injuries and are expected to feature in Manchester.
Factors to Consider
- The other clubs in Group C are Marseille and Olympiacos.
- Man City have won four, drawn one and lost one of their last six games.
- Porto have won three, drawn one and lost two of their last six games.
- Man City have scored 12 goals and conceded eight in their last six games.
- Porto have scored 19 goals and conceded nine in their last six games.
Conclusion
While Porto may be one of the best sides in Portugal, City are one of the best sides in England – and there’s a big jump up in class and ability there. Pep Guardiola could probably play a slightly weakened team and get away with it because as a club, they’ve got the kind of infrastructure necessary to go far in the Champions League every single season. They’re going to blow Porto away and it probably isn’t going to be particularly close.
Prediction: Manchester City win
Best Odds: 27/100
Bookmaker: 888sport
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