>
>
Manchester City resume their Champions League campaign once more against Villarreal on Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium hoping for a much happier outcome than their last game on the European stage.
The 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich last month cost more than just three points as Carlos Tevez’s refusal to play and Edin Dzeko’s substitution stop meant boss Roberto Mancini was forced into the spotlight to deny rumours of dressing room turmoil.
The Italian will be keener to address footballing issues as he attempts to carry over the Blues exceptional Premier League form and register their first win of their maiden Champions League campaign having only mustered one point from two games so far.
They’ll be hopeful of picking up maximum points against a Villarreal side that have lost both their Champions League encounters so far and sit 13th having won just one game in La Liga.
City go into the game on the back of a convincing 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday that moved them back to the top of the table at the expense of cross-city rivals Manchester United, and they’ll be desperate to prove they belong on the grandest stage with an emphatic victory over their Group A rivals.
Mancini could be without Sergio Aguero for the game as the Argentinean continues to struggle with a groin injury although he should be fit to start, while Mario Balotelli is suspended for the game meaning Dzeko, who has begun the Premier League season in exceptional form finding the net six times already will likely lead the line for City.
The former Inter Milan boss will likely rely on the attacking trio of Dzeko with Samir Nasri and David Silva behind him to score the goals to secure City’s first ever Champions League win, with James Milner likely to get the nod over Adam Johnson in midfield.
Villarreal meanwhile have problems of their own to contend with having not tasted victory since in four games while the absence of leading forward Nilmar will significantly weaken Juan Carlos Garrido’s attacking line, while Marco Ruben will also miss out with a broken toe.
The Yellow Submarines will be able to call upon the services of Giuseppe Rossi who has carried over his rich vein of form from last season to the new campaign having found the net three times already his season, however key defender Mateo Mussachio will be absent with injury. Marcos Senna and Javier Camunas are also unavailable.
Such is the extent of their injury crisis that Garrido has been forced to call up three youth players in order to bolster up his squad.
Match Winner
Given the contrasting form of the two sides and the extent of Villarreal’s injury problems it comes as no surprise that City are favourites to pick up three points on home soil, with Roberto Mancini’s men 1.33 (1/3) to pick up a precious win with BetFred.
Victor Chandler have Villarreal at 11.00 (10/1) to secure an unlikely win while the draw is at 5.50 (9/2) with Bet365, a result that no doubt the Spanish side would be pleased with.
First Goal Scorer
Both Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero are joint favourites to open the goal scoring on Wednesday at 5.00 (4/1) with Coral and William Hill respectively, and with both forwards in exceptional form it is difficult to look beyond either man to find the net first.
Both Samir Nasri and David Silva have earned their reputations as creators rather than scorers of goals, however both should pose a potent attacking threat that Villarreal will have to be mindful of. Nasri is 8.00 (7/1) with @ BlueSQ and Silva is 9.00 (8/1) with William Hill. Giuseppe Rossi leads the way for the visitors at 11.00 (10/1) with Paddy Power.
Recommended Bets
Correct Score, Manchester City 2-1 Villarreal: 9.00 (8/1) Ladbrokes
Sergio Aguero, First Goal Scorer: 5.00 (4/1) William Hill
October 17th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Nice! this helped a lot!