Man City have `must win` match against CSKA Moscow

Currently sitting in third place in UEFA Champions League Group E with just 2 points from three games played, Manchester City can not afford to drop any more points if they want to qualify for the knockout stages of this season`s tournament.

Having taken a 2-0 lead in the reverse fixture in Russia, only to surrender it in the second half and leave with just a point, Manuel Pellegrini will know that, with AS Roma and Bayern Munich still to play in the group, they must take all 3 points at the Etihad against CSKA Moscow.

Manchester City have been in poor form, losing away to West Ham and also being knocked out of the Capital One Cup at the hands of Newcastle United. However, a 1-0 victory in the Manchester derby on Sunday has raised confidence levels ahead of this crucial match and they are available at 1/4 to defeat CSKA Moscow and give their qualifying chances a much needed boost. With David Silva still missing through injury it will once again rest on striker Sergio Aguero`s shoulders to do the damage in the attacking third and he has been in fantastic form this season, scoring 10 goals so far in the Premier League and 2 in the Champions League. The Argentine can be backed at 11/4 with SkyBet to get the first goal of the game.

CSKA Moscow come in to the match having lost their fixture on the weekend, a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of fellow Champions League hopefuls Zenit St Petersburg and their only point to date in the Champions League is the one gained against Manchester City in Moscow two weeks ago. Some key players who missed that match will be returning to the team for this one, including Pontus Wernbloom and Alan Dzagoev, who have both been serving a suspension. Despite the extra strength they will provide, CSKA still find themselves as clear underdogs for this one, priced at 11/1 with BetVictor to leave Manchester with all 3 points. If they are to take anything from the game, it`s unlikely to be with a clean sheet, having conceded at least 2 goals in nine of their last ten Champions League games. Therefore, they will need to score and the biggest threat will come from striker Seydou Doumbia, who is on offer at 4/1 with SkyBet to score at any time, something which he did coming off the bench in Moscow.

With AS Roma facing the daunting task of playing Bayern Munich away, especially after their previous meeting in which they were taken apart 7-1 by the German team on home soil, Manchester City will know that this is the perfect opportunity to move in to second place in the group with difficult games against the two previously mentioned teams still to come. As a result of this, expect there to be goals in this one and get on the 4/9 for their to be over 2.5 goals in the game, something which has happened in nine of CSKA Moscow`s last ten Champions League games. Neither team have managed to keep a clean sheet so far in the Champions League this season and in addition to this, Manchester City have failed to keep a clean sheet at home in Europe in their last six attempts. Coral offer 7/4 for both teams to score and Manchester City to win.

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04/11/2014     © Frixo 2026