Manchester City vs Shakhtar Donetsk
UEFA Champions League
Date: Tuesday, 26 November 2019
Kick-off at 20:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Venue: Etihad Stadium (Manchester).
Team News
Manchester City
Rodri, Sergio Aguero and David Silva all taken in the win over Chelsea at the weekend because of the injury and is unlikely to take part in Tuesday's game.
There were initial concerns for Aguero muscle problem, which he described as "bad" by Guardiola, while Silva and Rodri said to suffer from cramps.
Elsewhere, Claudio Bravo is suspended after his red card in the previous game, while Leroy Sane, Oleks Zinchenko and Aymeric Laporte all remain sidelined. Nicolas Otamendi can remember in the center of defense to allow Fernandinho to move forward.
XI predicted: Ederson; Cancelo, Otamendi, Stones, Mendy; Fernandinho, Gundogan, Silva; Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus.
Shakhtar
Castro will take his squad to the North West without influential winger Marlos, who banned this fixture was sent off against Dinamo Zagreb in the last game.
XI predicted: Pyatov; Dodo, Kryvtsov, Matviyenko, Ismaily; Alan Patrick, Stepanenko; Tete, Kovalenko, Taison; Moraes.
Opta Stats
Manchester City have won four out of five of their UEFA Champions League meeting with Shakhtar Donetsk (L1), keep a clean sheet in each victory.
Manchester City have lost just one of 13 past their group stage home games in UEFA Champions League (W11 D1 L1) - winners of each of the four in a row, including a 6-0 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in November 2018.
Shakhtar Donetsk are unbeaten in the last three UEFA Champions League away games (W2 D1 L0) - they never go four in a row without defeat on the road in the competition.
Man City have won their last six home Champions League games, the longest current run of any side. The last English side who have long-term is Chelsea, who won seven in a row at Stamford Bridge between March 2008 and February 2009.
Shakhtar scored twice within 90 minutes of a 3-3 draw at Dinamo Zagreb on MD4, just became the third team to do so in the away leg of the Champions League, along with Ajax in Thun in November 2005 and the Spurs at Inter Milan in October 2010.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has won nine of 12 games against Shakhtar Donetsk in all competitions as manager (W9 D1 L2) - he won more games against the Ukrainian team than he has compared to the others in European competition.
Shakhtar Donetsk have Taison has carried the ball 1,811 meters high competition so far in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League, with 1,049 meters to see him making progress upfield (another high competition in 2019-20).
Manchester City Riyad Mahrez been directly involved in more goals against Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League than he has against any other team in the competition (2 goals, 4 assists).
Raheem Sterling has found the back of the net in the second Champions League appearance against Shakhtar Donetsk at the Etihad, nets in September 2017 and November 2018.
Manchester City vs Shakhtar Donetsk prediction
Manchester City only need to avoid defeat on Tuesday to book their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola's side bounced back from a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool before the break with a 3-1 win of their own over Chelsea on Saturday.
Shakhtar Donetsk has failed to score in their last three meetings with the City and was beaten 6-0 by Guardiola side in this fixture last season.
Expect a comfortable home victory on Tuesday, as Shakhtar compete with the absence of key players in attack.
Prediction: Manchester City 4-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
Manchester City vs Shakhtar Donetsk Betting Tips
Half Time / Full Time: Manchester City / Manchester City @ 1.60 (3/5)
Manchester City to Win Game & Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.00 (1/1).
