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Attendance: 49,046
Manchester City logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Oct 1, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Dinamo Zagreb

2-0

Sterling (66'), Foden (95')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Preview: Manchester City vs. Dinamo Zagreb - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Tuesday night's Champions League showdown between Manchester City and Dinamo Zagreb, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Manchester City and Dinamo Zagreb will both be looking to make it two wins from two in Champions League Group C on Tuesday night when they face off at the Etihad Stadium.

Both were comfortable winners on matchday one to gain control of the group, with Man City beating Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 in Ukraine and Zagreb storming to a 4-0 victory over Atalanta BC.


Match preview

Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan celebrates scoring their second goal with Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling on September 18, 2019© Reuters

For all their dominance of English football over the past couple of seasons, the Champions League is the one the Man City owners really want and their latest bid to claim that holy grail began in confident fashion in September.

Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus were all on the scoresheet in Ukraine as Pep Guardiola's charges made light work of a tricky-looking assignment, bouncing back in style from their shock defeat to Norwich City just a few days prior.

The English champions have gone from strength to strength since with four successive wins across all competitions, scoring 17 goals and conceding just once in the process.

Three more went in against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday despite Guardiola resting the likes of Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva and David Silva, once again underlining the frightening strength in depth at City's disposal.

Such luxuries come into particular focus with the pile-up of fixtures which come with competing on all fronts, although there are fewer options in City's injury-struck defence.

Dinamo Zagreb coach Nenad Bjelica pictured in May 2019© Reuters

Guardiola's side have coped with that well so far, but the Spaniard will no doubt be wary of a Dinamo side that shocked many by plundering four goals in what was their first Champions League outing for three years.

Mislav Orsic's hat-trick inspired the Croatian outfit to a big win over tournament debutants Atalanta, firing Zagreb to the top of the group in the process after reaching the competition proper via the qualifying rounds.

History suggests that result was an anomaly, though; Zagreb have failed to qualify from the group stage in all six of their previous Champions League outings and had lost 11 group games in a row - with just one win in 27 - prior to that triumph over Atalanta.

Nenad Bjelica's side have also already lost as many league games this season as they did throughout the whole of last term, although they still sit joint top and returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion with a 4-0 hammering of city rivals Lokomotiv Zagreb on Friday night.

Indeed, it is now 11 goals without reply in their last two games and those recent exploits in front of goal will raise belief against a depleted Man City defence, although it is likely to be events at the other end of the field - where City have scored 17 goals in their last five Champions League games - which are their primary concern in this one.

Man City form: WLWWWW

Dinamo Zagreb form: LWWLWW


Team News

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring their third goal on August 31, 2019© Reuters

Guardiola has an embarrassment of attacking riches to call upon and the likes of Aguero, Bernardo and David Silva are all expected to return to the starting lineup after being rested at the weekend.

Mahrez will be hopeful of retaining his place having scored three goals in his last four games, although the competition for places in that front three is fierce with Raheem Sterling also expected to start.

Kevin De Bruyne will miss out with a groin injury having registered his eighth Premier League assist of the season at the weekend, which could see Bernardo return in a midfield role.

It is in defence where the main injury issues lie and both Aymeric Laporte and John Stones remain sidelined, as does long-term absentee Leroy Sane.

Guardiola is again expected to go with Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi - the latter of whom would make his 50th European appearance - although youngsters Eric Garcia and Taylor Harwood-Bellis do provide other options should he think of resting his enforced first-choice duo.

Zagreb have no such injury concerns and could name a largely unchanged side from the weekend, when manager Bjelica did not risk resting his main men.

Man City will need to be wary of hat-trick hero Orsic, who was on target again on Friday night to make it five goals in his last four matches, while Damian Kadzior has three in two and Mario Gavranovic three in five.

The visitors also have two players with experience of playing in England - Kevin Theophile-Catherine is a former Cardiff City man, while Ivo Pinto joined from Norwich City during the summer.

Man City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Cancelo, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Mendy; Bernardo, Rodri, D Silva; Mahrez, Aguero, Sterling

Dinamo Zagreb possible starting lineup:
Livakovic; Stojanovic, Theophile-Catherine, Peric, Leovac; Moro, Ademi; Orsic, Kadzior, Olmo; Petkovic


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Man City 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb

Zagreb enjoyed a memorable night in their opener, but their hopes of pulling off a much bigger upset on Wednesday night look bleak. Man City are scoring goals for fun at the moment and it is difficult to see them coming away with anything other than a comfortable home victory to make it two wins from two.



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