Manchester City took a heavy beating last time out in the Champions League, but even with some injury concerns they’ll be big favourites to dish out the same treatment to AEK Athens.
Defeat at home to PSG will have served as a reminder that despite their bullishness at dealing with off-field issues domestically, Man City might remain on the sidelines for European glory this term, in what is only Enzo Maresca’s second season managing in the elite competition.
A first misstep
In the Community Shield back in summer, a heavy drubbing at the hands of Arsenal had some suggesting that City were too far off the pace to challenge for the Premier League title; fast forward to mid-October and it looks like only a failed appeal and subsequent stern punishment for financial cheating will stop them from doing so. But the loss to PSG, while a first of the season in matches which matter, highlighted a few of the defensive frailties that Sunderland and Ipswich have also been able to exploit.
Against that? A near-unstoppable front line which has plundered 18 goals in the last five games – but Antoine Semenyo is now out for two months and Erling Haaland could miss this midweek fixture in particular. It surely won’t be enough for a loss to make a difference to where the points go, but it will be something for Maresca to manage as the campaign rolls on nonetheless.
Lowered expectations
There won’t be any excuse for Athens to turn up and not be energised – they requested, and were granted, a free weekend domestically in preparation for this fixture. Even so, it’s unlikely they pinpointed a trip to Manchester as one where points will come from in the search to finish in the top 24. For that they’ll need nine or ten points; there’s three are on the board after beating LASK but after this game comes Real Madrid, Como, Galatasaray, Roma and Dortmund – and it’s hard to see where at least six more will come from.
Results this season
City beat Ipswich at the weekend to make it nine wins and one defeat – that PSG game – in ten this term. Shakhtar Donetsk are the only team to beat the Greeks, meanwhile, though they have drawn a couple domestically too. AEK didn’t play at the weekend as they had requested a postponement.
Team news
Nico O’Reilly remains a doubt and Semenyo is out. Haaland is available, says Maresca, but that doesn’t mean he’ll definitely start. Former Brentford goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha is out for AEK with a wrist injury so veteran backup Alberto Brignoli probably plays.
Key player
With no Semenyo and an alternative goal source maybe required, Rayan Cherki will become even more valuable. He’s ahead of 98% of attacking midfielders in Europe over the past year for chances created and top for touches – after being kept back at the weekend he’ll surely be let loose here, all guns blazing as chance-creator and -taker alike.
Prediction
Haaland or no Haaland, City should walk it by a distance: Man City 3-0 AEK Athens.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.