Manchester City vs AS Monaco preview [UEFA Champions League]

yinka ogunlami 14:01 - 21 February 2017

Manchester City and AS Monaco will lock horns at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of sixteen fixture.

The hosts have been in terrific form - having been unbeaten in six games, even though they played draw away at Huddersfield in the FA Cup on Saturday.

The Citizens progressed to this round of the Champions League after drawing Celtic, beating Barcelona 3-1 and Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0 - their only wins, to qualify to the knockout stages. At home, Guardiola's side have won four and drawn two of their six matches since a 3-1 loss to Chelsea in December. Manchester City have been tagged favourites for this encounter with SportyBet, which backs them them to win in front of their home fans at odds of (1.62).

AS Monaco have been in exceptional form this season, extending their unbeaten streak to 12 games in all competitions after their 1-1 draw at Bastia on Friday.

Leonardo Jardim's side are on top of Ligue 1 with a three point lead over PSG, though having played one more match.The French team began their Champions League season from the qualifying stages in the third round, where they defeated Fenerbahce and Villarreal to get into the group stage.

Monaco topped Group E ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham and CSKA Moscow to reach the knockout stages. But SportyBet feels they are underdogs for this clash, and have been priced at (5.20) to beat the home team.

The same betting firm offers both of them to share the spoils after normal regulation time at a price of (4.14), going by their forms in their respective domestic leagues.

The two teams both have a chance to score at (1.64), with the first half of the encounter recording more goals at a price of (2.97), and the home team are at advantage to score first at odds of (1.46).

SportyBet believes it will be difficult for the home team to keep a clean sheet at the Etihad, as AS Monaco are the best attacking team in the continent right now, (2.92 league goals per league game) even ahead of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Manchester City have been offered at (1.43) not to keep a clean sheet while the firm backs them to win both halves of the meeting at a price of (3.87).

Radamel Falcao has been key to Monaco's performance this season. The Colombia international striker has already scored 20 goals across all competitions and is backed to score anytime in the match at odds of (2.65).

Monaco are averaging three goals per game this season and Frenchman Valere Germain, who is their second top scorer has been backed to score first by SportyBet at (8.72). Highly rated Kylian Mbappe is backed to score withing regulation time at (3.40).

With Gabriel Jesus out for City, Sergio Aguero is expected to lead their attack tonight alongside Leroy Sane or Nolito. The dimunitive Argentine Aguero is backed to score his fourth goal for Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League at odds of (1.85). Nolito could score his second UEFA Champions League goal for City in this tie at (2.50), while forgotten Nigeria international striker Kelechi Iheanacho who has 2 goals in 97 minutes in the competition could get his third at (2.00).

Form guide (all competitions)

City: DWWWWD

Monaco: DWWWWD