Manchester City dey try recover from another blow to their Premier League title dreams as dem go host Bayer Leverkusen for Etihad on Tuesday for Champions League group stage. Sky Blues don collect 10 points from four games to dey fourth, 17 places higher pass the 21st-ranked Germans, wey still dey in top form.
Match Preview
City draw 0-0 with Newcastle for St James’ Park before small wahala 10 minutes for second half as Harvey Barnes score first, Ruben Dias respond, and Barnes score again to give Newcastle 2-1 win.
Na City second consecutive away defeat for Premier League and e break their four-game winning streak for all competitions, but dem still dey perform well for Europe.
Guardiola men don only dey outperformed by perfect Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan for this year’s group stage, and dem beat Borussia Dortmund 4-1 last game – na sixth win out of seven home games for all competitions.
City don dey unbeaten for 23 home Champions League group stage games, and dem don score at least two goals for each of their last seven straight wins for Etihad.
Bayer Leverkusen go test City home strength as dem don improve well since Kasper Hjulmand replace Erik ten Hag. Hjulmand lead Werkself to first Champions League win of the season after 4 attempts on November 5, beating Benfica 1-0. Dem don dey dominate Bundesliga with 6-0 win over Heidenheim and 3-1 win against Wolfsburg, rising to second place. Seven of their last nine games across competitions don end in victory, and another win against City go near their 50th triumph in Europe’s top competition.
Na first time City and Bayer Leverkusen go meet for competitive game.
Team News
City still dey cope without midfield duo Rodri (hamstring) and Mateo Kovacic (calcified ankle), wey go need months to heal. Otherwise, Guardiola squad dey ready for Leverkusen, and he fit make changes after Saturday loss, boosting chances for John Stones, Tijjani Reijnders and Savinho.
Erling Haaland get bad day against Newcastle but don score for last five Champions League games and don score four times against Leverkusen when e dey Dortmund.
Bayer Leverkusen dey without Robert Andrich (second game of two-match ban) and defender Edmond Tapsoba (suspension). Jarell Quansah fit start with Loic Bade and Jeanuel Belocian at the back as Axel Tape still dey injured.
Only two central midfielders dey available: Ibrahim Maza and Aleix Garcia as Equi Fernandez (ligament) and Exequiel Palacios (adductor) dey out. Maza small injury no serious, Claudio Echeverri (on loan from City) no fit start against parent club. Lucas Vazquez (muscle), Arthur (back) and backup goalkeeper Janis Blaswich (muscle) dey out too.
Manchester City Possible Starting Lineup:
Donnarumma; Lewis, Stones, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri; Gonzalez; Savinho, Reijnders, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Bayer Leverkusen Possible Starting Lineup:
Flekken; Belocian, Bade, Quansah; Tella, Maza, Garcia, Grimaldo; Tillman, Poku; Schick
We Say: Manchester City 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen don dey score plenty recently – 16 goals for last six games – and Hjulmand in-form side fit test City defence if dem rotate squad. But visitors still dey weakened by injuries, suspensions, and unavailable players, so City home advantage go likely secure them win as dem dey run riot for Etihad.
