Manchester City have never played so well but Champions League can derail us
Pep Guardiola has been quick to remind Etihad support of last season when the wheels came off after perfect start
LIFE is pretty good as a Manchester City fan at the minute.
I genuinely believe the football played in the opening six games of the season is the best City have played in my lifetime, and probably ever.
City have now scored 22 goals in September alone, with two more games still to play.
But while our form is electric and it’s very easy to get carried away, Guardiola has been quick to remind us of last season when the wheels came off a perfect ten wins out of ten start very quickly.
The re-introduction of Champions League football to the schedule will prove a real test to the intensity
and momentum at which Pep wants to play.
A lot of pundits have been quick to write off City’s next opponents, Shakhtar Donetsk.
Undoubtedly City will be favourites to take all three points, but Donetsk will be no pushovers. Predictably they’re top of the Ukrainian league, having scored an impressive four goals away from home on Saturday and convincingly defeating Napoli in their opening Champions League game.
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As a side fast-becoming regulars in the Champions League last sixteen, they’ll fancy their chances to take a point home to Ukraine on Tuesday night.
Guardiola will face a selection headache after Ben Mendy picked up an injury against Crystal Palace and will leave City yet again short of quality full-back options.
Fabian Delph’s brief cameo at wing-back on Saturday saw him score a fantastic strike and he could well feature alongside a back three of John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and Danilo with Kyle Walker on the opposite wing.
Despite his sensational form, Gabriel Jesus did not feature against Crystal Palace, while Bernardo Silva only appeared from the bench and I would expect them both to play in Tuesday night’s starting XI.
Raheem Sterling was substituted after scoring twice, suggesting he is part of Guardiola’s plans for Shakhtar.
Yaya Toure has also been re-introduced to the side and could well appear.
Pep will also keep one eye on City’s forthcoming weekend game against Chelsea and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sergio Aguero saved on the bench.
Manchester City are yet to play a goalless Champions League game and I can’t see that changing this week.
Due to Shakhtar’s impressive away form and goalscoring record I’ll predict them a goal but I can’t see past a 3-1 home win.
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