Manchester City travel to the Ukraine next week as they put their 100% winning record in the Champions League this season on the line against Shakhtar Donetsk. Despite having already qualified for the knockout phase of the competition, Pep Guardiola and his players will be going all out for the three points, however a close encounter is expected due to the fact that the home side are also in need of a positive result to aid their qualification chances.
Champions League – Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv – Wednesday 6th December – 19:45 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 572 at Skybet |
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Shakhtar Donetsk
Manchester CityMatch Preview
With three points separating Shakhtar Donetsk and Manchester City in the Group F Champions League standings, the two teams go head to head in the Ukraine next week, with the visitors having already qualified for the next stage of the competition. The Premier League defeated Shakhtar earlier on in the campaign, however a trip to the Ukraine is never an easy prospect. Many are predicting another entertaining encounter at the Metalist Stadium, with little separating the duo in the betting odds ahead of kick-off. For those still unsure of who to back, be sure to check out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Shakhtar Donetsk Team News & Form
Despite suffering a 3-0 defeat against Napoli last time around, Shakhtar Donetsk are still the favourites to finish in second place in Group F, with manager Paulo Fonseca looking to lead his side to the knockout phase of the Champions League with at least a point required in order to do so. The Ukrainian champions have won both of their home fixtures in the competition to date, scoring seven times in the process. However, the fact that they have conceded eight goals in their five matches signals where their weaknesses lie.
Manchester City Team News & Form
City have won all five of their Champions League outings so far this season, scoring 13 goals in the process. Having already secured top spot in Group F, manager Guardiola may well choose to rest some of his star names in the Ukraine, with the likes of Bernardo Silva, Claudio Bravo and Yaya Toure expected to start the game. City also find themselves eight points clear at the top of the Premier League, with Guardiola’s side now the firm favourites to lift the trophy come the end of the season.
Head to Head
Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Etihad Stadium earlier on in the season was the first ever competitive meeting between the two sides, meaning that few conclusions can be drawn in terms of their head-to-head record.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Despite losing in Manchester earlier in the season, their status as the home teams means that it is Shakhtar Donetsk who are the favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers. The hosts can be backed at odds of 27/20 with Coral, while those looking to bet on an away win for Manchester City can take advantage of 2/1 odds with Ladbrokes.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on both teams scoring at the Allianz Arena, which can be found at odds of 8/13 with Ladbrokes.