Aguero to help Man City maintain chase of Bayern against Plzen
Published:Man City’s home game against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League resembled a training match and the goals can be expected to flow once again this evening when they take on Viktoria Plzen at Eastlands.
Seven goals were scored in that game agsint the Russians (which City won 5-2) and there were four goals in the October clash against Bayern Munich.
That was always likely to be the game which decided this otherwise weak group and City appear content to qualify in second place following that 3-1 defeat.
Manuel Pelliegrini has so far refrained from changing his side around too much however and his comments suggest that he won’t field a much-weakened team again tonight despite already qualifying for the last 16.
Bet on Man City conceding but winning at 2/1
The Argentine said: “I think it is very important to win the group. It is not the most important thing, the most important thing is to qualify, but I think it is important to be at the top.”
However that hasn’t stopped City conceding so far in this competition; they have leaked four goals in four games to date.
Alvaro Negredo and Sergio Aguero have both featured heavily and the latter is worth backing to score this evening – he has five already in this Champions League campaign and is 8/11 to score at again.
City have far too much class to think that they won’t win this game but the 2/1 about them conceding but still winning makes plenty of appeal; it would have landed in two of their four Champions League matches this season.
Bet on Sergio Aguero to score anytime at 8/11
Joe Hart will return for the hosts this evening and the young England goalkeeper will be hoping for a confidence-boosting performance.
However concentration doesn’t appear a strongpoint and there will be added tension and pressure from this belated return to the side.
City’s defence has also struggled without Vincent Kompany who is once again likely to be absent.
The Belgian is still recovering from a thigh injury and is joined on the sidelines by David Silva, Jack Rodwell and Steven Jotevic.
Bet on Yaya Toure to score anytime at 7/4
Confidence will obviously be high given they have won their last two Premier League home matches by a total of 13-0.
But the defeat at Sunderland sandwiched in-between was a good illustration of the complacency which can creep in; City have already lost three games in the Premier League to teams in the bottom half of the table.
Plzen currently sit second in the Czech Gambrinus Liga behind Sparta Prague and they have won six of their eight domestic away games this season.
They were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by City in the Czech Republic back in September but had several half-chances and in young Czech striker Stanislav Tecl they do posess a goalthreat.
The 23-year-old has six goals in the league this season and along with Thomas Wagner, who has four to his name, they are capable of getting goals. Both are 6/1 to score at any time this evening.
Bet on Sergio Aguero to score first at 3/1
Plzen are in a straight battle with CSKA Moscow for third place and coach Pavel Vrba expects his team to have learnt from their 5-0 drubbing at Bayern Munich.
He said: “The quality of their team, their ability, the situation was all daunting for us, but I think we can draw on that and won’t be as overwhelmed.”
Expect them to lose, but not without giving a good account of themselves.
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Man City to concede but still win at 2/1