What to Watch For: Citizens Travel to Celtic for UCL Match no. 2
Manchester City’s German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan (L) and Manchester City’s Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure take part in a team training session at Manchester City Football Academy Campus in Manchester, north west England, on September 27, 2016.
Manchester City will play against Celtic in a UEFA Champions League Group C football match in Glasgow on September 28. / AFP / Anthony DEVLIN (Photo credit should read ANTHONY DEVLIN/AFP/Getty Images)
After a 3-1 victory in EPL play on Saturday at Swansea, Manchester City prepare for their second UEFA Champions League group-stage match on Wednesday at Scottish Champions Celtic F.C.
Pep Guardiola‘s side won their first Champions League group-stage match vs Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0, two weeks ago, and are looking to stay perfect in all competitions.
Celtic, managed by former Liverpool and Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers, are first in the Scottish Premier League and are unbeaten in their opening six matches. However, in their opening fixture of this year’s Champions League, Celtic were thrashed 7-0 at the Camp Nou by Barcelona.
Kevin De Bruyne, Vincent Kompany, and Fabian Delph all look to be out for the trip to Glasgow, due to injuries. De Bruyne limped off at Swansea on Saturday with a hamstring injury, while Kompany walked off in the final minutes of City’s EFL Cup victory last Wednesday at Swansea. Reports say De Bruyne could miss a month, while Kompany’s timetable has not been determined as of yet. Delph has been out with a muscle problem. Yaya Toure trained with the side on Tuesday, but still isn’t a lock for a spot in the squad.
Celtic’s lone injury is goalkeeper Dorus de Vries who was subbed at halftime on the weekend with a chest injury. Scottish international Craig Gordon will get the nod for Rodgers’ side on Wednesday, according to BBC Sport.
Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero will be the focus of Celtic’s back-line, after the Argentine netted two goals at the weekend. Raheem Sterling, David Silva, Leroy Sane, Fernandinho, and Ilkay Gundogan all should be in the running to start just underneath Aguero in midfield. On the defensive side of things, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna should get the start on the outside, while Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones should start as the center-back duo. Claudio Bravo is expected to start in-goal over Willy Caballero.
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For Celtic, Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths are two prominent strikers that should each see time vs City. Dembele has netted five goals in the SPL while Griffiths, returning from injury, has netted three. Former City player, Scott Sinclair has found a new home with Celtic, netting six goals in six league matches with the side. Expect Sinclair, James Forrest, Scott Brown, and Tomas Rogic all to start in the midfield. Another former Citizen could make a start against his former side, as Kolo Toure is a veteran presence for Rodgers to choose in his back-line.
With a huge match away from home, here are my three things to watch at Celtic Park.
1.) Look for David Silva to continue where Kevin De Bruyne left off.
With the Belgian out due to injury, David Silva is expected to run the offense through him. The little magician definitely has the ability to pick apart opposing mid-fields while trying to set up his teammates. After getting blown away at Barcelona in their opening match, look for Celtic to sit back and absorb Manchester City’s attacks at first. With 50,000 home fans behind them, eventually Celtic will begin to attack Manchester City. If Manchester City want all three points tomorrow, David Silva needs to be at his best.
2.) Celtic’s Forwards need to be watched closely.
Whether it is Moussa Dembele or Leigh Griffiths starting for Celtic tomorrow, the Manchester City back-line needs to be ready. Dembele provides excellent pace and skill, while Griffiths is a goal-scoring machine. I cannot see Griffiths starting the match due to him returning from an injury. Dembele has racked up goals of his own since joining Celtic and was a threat early in their match at Barcelona. His pace won a penalty and had Barca on the ropes early. Manchester City cannot afford any defensive breakdowns tomorrow, especially in a hostile atmosphere.
3.) Look for the Aguero show to continue.
Even a three-match ban couldn’t stop Sergio Aguero from scoring goals. After returning from his ban at the weekend, Aguero scored two more goals to bring his total to 11 in all competitions. His first goal was set up by a brilliant touch, while the second was from the PK spot. The Argentine is scoring at an alarming rate and is making it tough for Kelechi Iheanacho to get some playing time. Aguero is a world-class striker and his talent will help City get a huge win tomorrow on the road.
My prediction for tomorrow sees Manchester City win 3-0 on the road. Aguero will net two goals, while Raheem Sterling scores the third. Check back for my three takeaways following Wednesday’s Champions League match.
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