Manchester City vs Club Brugge predictions: Citizens to deliver home win
&w=707&quality=100)
- Manchester City have conceded in nine of their last 12 matches
- Club Brugge have scored in nine of their last 11 Champions League away games
- Recommended bet: Manchester City to win & both teams to score
Manchester City need to beat Club Brugge to qualify for the Champions League play-off round after their 4-2 defeat at Paris St-Germain last week.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won only two of their seven Champions League matches this season, leaving them 25th of 36 teams in the standings with eight points, but Saturday’s 3-1 victory at home to Chelsea in the Premier League should have gone a long way to improving their morale.
The Citizens will be expected to make the most of their home comforts at the Etihad but this is also a big deal for the Belgian visitors, who are able to advance with a point and at the same time that would dump City out.
Team news
As well as long-term absentees Oscar Bobb and Rodri, City will be without Ruben Dias after he limped off in last week’s loss to PSG, while Nathan Ake is a doubt and Jeremy Doku will miss out.
New signings Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Omar Marmoush are ineligible, so John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne are set to be restored to the starting line-up.
Club Brugge nearly have a full bill of health, but captain Hans Vanaken missed the weekend draw with Kortrijk due to illness and is a slight doubt for the trip to Manchester.
&w=707&quality=100)
The stats
After an underwhelming November and December, City have lost only one of their last eight games in all competitions.
The Citizens are unbeaten in their last 33 Champions League matches at the Etihad (W28 D5).
There have been over 3.5 goals in 10 of City's last 13 Champions League matches.
Brugge have lost only one of their last 25 matches in all competitions, but they have not won away to English opposition in European competition in 14 previous attempts.
The Belgian visitors have scored in each of their last four Champions League away games and they have conceded only two first-half goals in seven Champions League games this season.
Prediction
Having taken only one point from their last four Champions League matches, this is a must-win scenario for City and they are unlikely to make things easy for themselves.
The Citizens let a 2-0 lead slip to lose 4-2 at PSG last week, while their last Champions League home game saw them throw away a 3-0 lead to draw with Feyenoord.
Four clean sheets in their last 20 matches shows the air of vulnerability surrounding City defensively, although they should have the attacking talent needed to claim the victory they desire against Brugge.
Guardiola’s side have found some form in the Premier League, winning four of their last five and they can outclass the Belgian side in a high-scoring Etihad encounter.
The visitors have failed to score in only two of their seven Champions League matches this season and they should create some chances on the counter-attack.
Win up to £250,000 with LiveScore 6!
Win up to £250,000 with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!
