Manchester City welcome Copenhagen to Etihad Stadium in Group G of 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
Victory will see Man City stay top and move onto the brink of securing qualification for the knockout stage, whilst Copenhagen can go second with a win if Sevilla defeat Borussia Dortmund elsewhere.
Team News
Rodri is a doubt for Man City after he missed their derby win over Manchester United on Sunday with a leg injury.
Kyle Walker (muscle), John Stones (hamstring) and Kalvin Phillips (shoulder) remain absent.
Copenhagen will be without Mamadou Karamoko due to an unspecified injury, which will also keep him out of the return leg next week.
Akinkunmi Amoo is ruled out for rest of season with a knee injury.
Stat Attack
- Man City are unbeaten in two previous meetings against Copenhagen (W1, D1), which both came in a Round of 32 tie in 2008-09 UEFA Cup.
- Copenhagen lost their only previous visit to Man City 2-1 to crash out of 2008-09 UEFA Cup 4-3 on aggregate at Round of 32 stage.
- City are unbeaten in two of three previous home matches against Danish opposition (W2, L1), with their only defeat coming against Midtjylland in Second Qualifying Round of 2008-09 UEFA Cup.
- Erling Haaland has been involved in 20 of City’s 35 goals in all competitions this season, in which he scored 17 goals and provided three assists.
- Copenhagen are yet to score in the Group Stage this season.
Prediction
With Group G firmly within their control and coming into this match off the back of a ruthless Manchester derby win, I am intrigued to see how City approach this game given the depth of their squad and a hectic schedule between now and mid-November.
Pep Guardiola though will be eager to see a response to their second-half defensive sloppiness against United, despite respond well to their first conceded goal but I do suspect tactical changes will be abound to keep his squad fresh.
Copenhagen meanwhile are the underdogs in this group and given City’s rampant form, this Danish team simply have to go out there and try to take their game to the hosts because they can’t do any worse than in their away defeat against Dortmund last month.
This however feels like an one-sided match on paper and I wouldn’t be surprised if it is reflected in the result.
Prediction: Manchester City 4-0 Copenhagen
Result: Manchester City 5-0 Copenhagen