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His side will look to mark the occasion in style when they welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Etihad Stadium. Man City slipped to a frustrating 2-1 defeat against Newcastle at the weekend, but their European form has been a different story entirely.
Guardiola’s men have yet to trail in this season’s competition and sit comfortably inside the top positions of the league phase.
Leverkusen arrive in Manchester boosted by a 3-1 win over Wolfsburg, but they remain well adrift in the Bundesliga title race and face a steep uphill battle here.
Manchester City v Bayer Leverkusen tips
• Manchester City vs Leverkusen - 11/50 with Bet365
• Over 2.5 Goals - 9/25 with Bet365
• Erling Haaland to score - 2/5 with Bet365
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Manchester City to Win
Given the gulf in pedigree and form, backing City to win looks one of the most straightforward picks of the round.
Guardiola’s men have won their last 13 Champions League home matches against German sides, scoring 49 goals across those games and conceding just 13. They’ve also lost only one of their last 24 Champions League matches against German opposition overall, a run that speaks to both their quality and tactical superiority in this fixture profile.
City haven’t fallen behind once in Europe this season and have dominated matches. With Leverkusen winning just one of their last six UCL away games, City taking all three points at the Etihad feels very likely.
Tip: Manchester City to Win @ 11/50
Bet explanation: This bet wins if Manchester City beats Bayer Leverkusen regardless of the score
Over 2.5 Goals
A high-scoring contest is well supported by the numbers. City’s last five competitive matches have all produced over 2.5 goals.
Leverkusen, meanwhile, have seen their UCL league-phase fixtures average four goals per match, largely because five of their six goals have come after half-time when they tend to open up defensively.
City have scored 67 goals in their last 24 Champions League outings against German teams and Leverkusen’s poor record away to English clubs (including a 4-0 defeat at Anfield last season) adds further weight to the expectation that goals should flow in this one.
Bet explanation: This bet wins if there are at least three goals scored in the game between Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen
Erling Haaland to score
Few bets feel safer than backing Erling Haaland in Europe. He is in line to make his 50th Champions League start, and remarkably, he will hold the record for the most goals scored by any player in their first 50 starts, even if he fails to find the net here.
Haaland has scored in five consecutive Champions League matches and has netted 24 first-time finishes among his 31 UCL goals for City, which proves his elite penalty-box instincts.
His history against Leverkusen is ominous too, with the Norwegian scoring braces in his last two personal meetings with them. With City dominating possession and creating high-quality chances at will, Haaland at 2/5 with Bet365 to score feels one of the strongest selections available.
Tip: Erling Haaland to Score @ 2/5
Bet explanation: This bet wins if Erling Haaland scores against Bayer Leverkusen
Manchester City v Bayer Leverkusen odds
• Manchester City - 11/50 with Bet365
• Draw - 21/4 with Bet365
• Bayer Leverkusen - 10/1 with Bet365
Odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.