Manchester City vs Shakhtar Donetsk – UEFA Champions League – Preview

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Sreya

Manchester City vs Shakhtar Donetsk – Manchester City hosts Shakhtar Donetsk at the Etihad on 26th September, Tuesday in their second Group F game of the UEFA Champions League.

Manchester City won 4-0 against Feyenoord in their first game while Shakhtar Donetsk defeated Napoli 2-1. Pep Guardiola’s side are placed top of the standings, in a tricky group while Shakhtar are placed second.

Manchester City have come into their own in the last few weeks, with all-round performances offensively as well as defensively and are expected to make a deep run into Europe’s premier competition other than being prime contenders for the Premier League title.

Team News

Vincent Kompany, Ilkay Gundogan and Benjamin Mendy are listed as doubts while the visitors will be without the injured Maksim Malyshev and Sergey Krivtsov. Skipper Darijo Srna misses out, having failed a drug test.

Manchester City Possible Starting Lineup: Ederson, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi, Danilo, Fernandinho, Raheem Sterling, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus.

Shakhtar Donetsk Possible Starting Lineup: Andriy Pyatov, Bogdan Butko, Ivan Ordets, Yaroslav Rakitskiy, Ismaily, Fred, Taras Stepanenko, Marlos, Taison, Bernard, Facundo Ferreyra.

“If we keep doing the basics right, and keep performing at the level we’re performing at, hopefully, we will be a force that won’t be stopped. It is just about consistency.

If we keep playing at the level we are playing at, I don’t think we’ll come up against many oppositions who will cause us problems. With the strike force we have got and if we keep keeping clean sheets, I think we’re going to be tough.”

– Kyle Walker, Manchester City.

Contributor’s Pick

According to Manchester City vs Shakhtar Donetsk H2H Stats, these two clubs have never faced each other in this competition. There have been over 2.5 goals scored in Manchester City’s last 3 games in the UEFA Champions League.

It should be a closely contested affair but Manchester City are likely to win 3-1 tonight.