Preview: Manchester City vs. Sevilla – prediction, team news, lineups

Manchester City will intention to protect their unbeaten document in Group G of the Champions League after they welcome Sevilla to the Etihad Stadium for his or her remaining group sport on Wednesday.

The Residents have already certified for the final 16 as group winners, whereas the guests will drop down into the Europa League knockout rounds after securing third spot.

Match preview

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Manchester Metropolis are one in every of solely 5 groups on this season’s Champions League who’re but to lose within the group stage, with victories of their first three matches adopted by successive goalless attracts towards Copenhagen and Borussia Dortmund.

Certainly, a 0-0 stalemate away towards Dortmund final week – which noticed Riyad Mahrez miss one other penalty kick – was sufficient to safe prime spot in Group G for Pep Guardiola‘s aspect in addition to assist their German counterparts qualify as runners-up, and each side will uncover their destiny within the final 16 when the draw is made on November 7.

Metropolis returned to profitable methods within the Premier League, with out the presence of injured aim machine Erling Braut Haaland, after they secured a slender 1-0 away victory towards Leicester Metropolis on Saturday, courtesy of a surprising Kevin De Bruyne free kick early within the second half.

Though Metropolis’s upcoming conflict towards Sevilla is basically a useless rubber, Guardiola and co will probably be eager to return away with a optimistic end result and construct momentum forward of three extra necessary home fixtures earlier than the World Cup break.

Fifty-seven days in the past, the Residents cruised to a 4-0 victory towards Sevilla of their opening Group G fixture, with Haaland (2), Phil Foden and Ruben Dias all on the scoresheet in Spain.

Metropolis will probably be assured of success once more on Wednesday as they’ve gained 81% of their Champions League house video games since Guardiola took cost in 2016, the very best house win proportion within the competitors’s historical past. Guardiola himself has a stable document towards Sevilla, shedding simply two of his earlier 13 conferences towards them as a supervisor.

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Since Jorge Sampaoli changed Julen Lopetegui as head coach at first of October, Sevilla have gained two, drawn three and misplaced two of their seven matches throughout all competitions, a run of type which signifies that the Spanish aspect are nonetheless struggling for consistency.

After shedding 3-1 in La Liga away at Actual Madrid, Los Rojiblancos secured a 3-0 house win within the Champions League towards Copenhagen final week, however that end result was adopted by a 1-0 league defeat simply 4 days later at house to Rayo Vallecano.

With simply 10 factors gathered from their first 12 La Liga matches, Sevilla have subsequently slipped into the relegation zone, an unthinkable place for a aspect who’ve completed fourth in every of the earlier three seasons.

Los Rojiblancos now briefly flip their consideration away from home motion as they put together for his or her remaining Champions League fixture, with Sampaoli’s aspect conscious that they can’t end any larger than third place in Group G as Dortmund have a greater head-to-head document.

A return to the Europa League is in retailer for the six-time champions, who may do with a morale-boosting conquer Man Metropolis on Wednesday forward of the Seville derby towards rivals Actual Betis this weekend.

Nonetheless, success on the Etihad Stadium may show difficult for Sevilla as they’ve misplaced all three earlier conferences with the Residents and have did not win any of their final six away matches within the Champions League, together with 5 attracts and one defeat.

Manchester Metropolis Champions League type:

Manchester Metropolis type (all competitions):

Sevilla Champions League type:

Sevilla type (all competitions):

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Man Metropolis boss Guardiola has confirmed that Haaland won’t be concerned on Wednesday as he recovers from “ligament injury”, however the Spaniard is hopeful that the striker can return to face Fulham on Saturday.

Cole Palmer is a health doubt, whereas Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips each stay out as they proceed to get better from respective groin and shoulder surgical procedures, however Sergio Gomez is offered for choice and will begin at left-back after lacking final week’s draw with Dortmund as a result of suspension.

Guardiola is predicted to clean up his beginning lineup along with his aspect already via to the knockout rounds, and he might resolve to offer run-outs to academy graduates Rico Lewis and Josh Wilson-Esbrand both off the bench or from the beginning.

Ought to De Bruyne, Rodri or Ilkay Gundogan be given a relaxation, Bernardo Silva may drop into the midfield three, with Mahrez and Foden in rivalry to return to the primary XI and play within the entrance three.

As for Sevilla, Mexican winger Jesus Corona continues to get better from a damaged leg and can miss the World Cup, whereas Tanguy Nianzou (thigh) and Youssef En-Nesyri (hamstring) are additionally dominated out with accidents.

Former Man Metropolis midfielder Fernando is uncertain with a virus, so Ivan Rakitic and Joan Jordan may proceed in the midst of the pitch, with Thomas Delaney an alternative choice who Sampaoli may name upon.

One other former Metropolis participant in Jesus Navas will probably be hoping to pressure his manner into the primary XI at right-back forward of Gonzalo Montiel, whereas goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic may hold his place between the sticks forward of Yassine Bounou.

Both Rafa Mir or Kasper Dolberg may change Erik Lamela within the centre-forward place, whereas Suso or Papu Gomez is prone to change Oliver Torres on the left flank because the Spaniard is ineligible to play on this season’s Champions League.

Manchester Metropolis attainable beginning lineup:
Ortega; Cancelo, Dias, Ake, Gomez; Bernardo, Rodri, Gundogan; Foden, Alvarez, Grealish

Sevilla attainable beginning lineup:
Dmitrovic; Navas, Gudelj, Marcao, Acuna; Rakitic, Jordan; Januzaj, Isco, Gomez; Mir

We are saying: Manchester Metropolis 2-0 Sevilla

Each side may have extra necessary fixtures to prioritise within the coming weeks earlier than the World Cup than Wednesday’s conflict, and neither workforce is predicted to be at full power right here.

Nonetheless, Man Metropolis will nonetheless be thought to be favourites with their superior squad depth and they need to have sufficient high quality to return away with a routine victory on the Etihad Stadium.

For information evaluation of the probably outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.

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