Manchester City vs Napoli. UEFA Champions League Group F.
Etihad StadiumAttendance48,520.
Tuesday 17 October 2017 18:46, UK
Manchester City will look to keep their perfect Champions League record in tact when Napoli visit on Tuesday evening.
Free-flowing City are top of Group F after taking six points from their first two matches and have yet to ship a single goal.
Pep Guardiola's men are unbeaten in their last 16 games (W14 D3) since a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on April 5 and go into this clash on the back of a 7-2 victory over Stoke City on Saturday in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Napoli sit top of Serie A after winning all seven of their league matches.
Sergio Aguero could return to bolster Manchester City as they look to take a giant stride towards the Champions League knockout phase.
The Argentina striker, who broke a rib in a road accident three weeks ago, was an unused substitute for the Premier League game against Stoke on Saturday.
Captain Vincent Kompany remains doubtful with a calf injury and did not train on Monday, while left-back Benjamin Mendy (knee) is a long-term absentee.
Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis says the Serie A leaders should rest some of their key players for Tuesday's Champions League clash.
However, Arkadiusz Milik and Lorenzo Tonelli are Napoli's only major absences.
Milik is still out with damaged knee ligaments, while Tonelli has been dropped from the squad.
Manchester City and Napoli's only previous meeting came in the 2011/12 Champions League group stages. The Italians remained unbeaten, drawing 1-1 in Manchester before winning 2-1 at the San Paolo.
However, Napoli have never won an away game against English opposition in all competitions, losing five of their six trips (D1), conceding 15 goals and scoring only three.
Manchester City have picked up maximum points from their opening two games for the first time in a Champions League campaign. It is also the first time they have had two consecutive clean sheets in a group stage.
Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 10 Champions League home games (W7 D3), their longest run without a defeat on home soil in the competition. City's last defeat at the Etihad dates back to September 2015 against Juventus (1-2).
This is Manchester City's seventh consecutive Champions League participation. They have made it past the round of 16 only once, it was in 2015/16 when they reached the semi-finals (knocked out by Real Madrid).
Meanwhile, Napoli have progressed to the knockout stages in two of their three previous appearances but have never made it further than the last 16.
None of Napoli's 12 Champions League away games have ended goalless. They have never lost two consecutive away games in the same season.
John Stones has made more touches than any other player in this season's Champions League (261 in 2 games).
Merse was drooling over Man City on Saturday and watching it back, with their interplay, they just have a Barcelona feel about them now.
Yes that leaves you vulnerable at the back but Stoke's two goals came and went without a blink of the eye as they struck back in the most emphatic manner.
Kevin De Bruyne is absolutely incredible at the moment and he's linking together with David Silva brilliantly, but Napoli are a strong outfit and will provide a real test for Pep Guardiola's side.
If they can win this then I would say this all but puts them through. I've said from the start this City team will score bundles of goals this season and I can see it continuing here.
Charlie predicts: 4-2 and Gabriel Jesus to score first (66/1 with Sky Bet)
Guardiola's men are currently 12/1 to lift the trophy with their visitors more than twice the price at 28/1 despite their perfect Serie A start.
Jesus and Aguero share first goalscorer favouritism at 3/1 apiece while Dries Mertens is considered the visitors' main threat at 5/1 to net first.
