A defeat for Roberto Mancini's Manchester City against Ajax on Tuesday evening will all but eliminate the Premier League champions from Europe's top competition for another season.

The Citizens currently have just one point to their name from three outings and that came in fortuitous circumstances against Borussia Dortmund.

While they have not been in the best of form in the Champions League so far this season, City do boast a positive home record in UEFA tournaments since 2008. From 18 encounters, the Sky Blues have won 14 and drawn four.

What's more they have not lost to Dutch opposition on their home ground, having defeated FC Twente twice.

Mancini will be without a number of players for the match, including Micah Richards, Jack Rodwell and Maicon.

Meanwhile, Ajax coach Frank de Boer has no fresh injury concerns for the tie.

His side ended their 40-year wait for a victory in England last season when they defeated City's rivals Manchester United 2-1 in the Europa League.

Recent form

Man City: DWLWW

Ajax: LWDWD

Possible starting lineups:

Man City: Hart; K Toure, Lescott, Kompany, Kolarov; Garcia, Y Toure, Nasri, Sinclair; Tevez, Aguero

Ajax: Vermeer; Moisander, Blind, Alderweireld, Van Rhijn; Poulsen, Schone, De Jong, Sana, Eriksen; Babel

Sports Mole says: 2-0

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