Enda McElhinney’s selections for Wednesday night’s Champions League clash include a win for the English champions with goals at both ends.
Manchester City and Inter Milan do battle on matchday one of the revamped Champions League group phase, the pair clashing at the Etihad Stadium in a repeat of the 2022/23 final in Istanbul.
The Citizens got their hands on the famous trophy for the first time as Rodri scored the only goal that night so Inter will be looking to exact revenge in Manchester.
With eight games in the new-look league phase, City won’t want to entertain thoughts of dropping any points early on, but Pep Guardiola will be acutely aware his side must come out of the blocks quicker than has been the norm recently on their own patch.
Best bets
Manchester City to win and both teams to score
2/1
Federico Dimarco to have 1+ shots on target
7/5
Goal scored between 1-15 minutes
9/5
Inter can make their mark
Manchester City have only managed one clean sheet in their last eight games at the Etihad Stadium and so Inter Milan should fancy their chances of scoring at the least.
In last season’s group stage, City won all three home games – scoring nine times – but their only clean sheet came against Young Boys, as Red Star Belgrade and RB Leipzig both netted at the Etihad. Indeed, the Bundesliga side led 0-2 at the break before succumbing to a 3-2 loss.
With that recent record of home concessions, City’s overall track record since the start of April shows just six clean sheets in 18 outings in all competitions.
Inter have made an unbeaten start to their Serie A defence, scoring nine goals so far in four games, and have the quality to hurt City.
Marcus Thuram has impressed with braces against Genoa and Atalanta while it seems only a matter of time before last season’s main goal-getter Lautaro Martinez – top scorer at the Copa America this summer – regains his scoring touch.
They may have the quality to get at City’s shaky defence but with Erling Haaland in destructive form up top, Guardiola’s team should outscore the visiting Nerazzurri.
Dimarco can cause problems
Marauding wing-back Federico Dimarco is a livewire for Inter and his pace will be key on the counter as the Serie A champions are unlikely to want to rely completely on a rearguard action.
Dimarco hit a career-best five Serie A goals last season and he’s clearly intent on adding to the tally, taking 10 shots across his first four games of the season domestically.
In that Istanbul decider in June 2023, the full-back gave City a real scare when he hit the woodwork and he is certainly worth a bet to trouble Ederson in the City goal on Wednesday.
Expect another lively start
City have fallen behind inside seven minutes in both of their home Premier League games so far this season against Ipswich and Brentford – the Bees leading inside 60 seconds at the weekend – while their four league matches have yielded nine goals inside the opening 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, before the weekend draw with Monza, three goals were scored inside the first 10 minutes in Inter’s previous two Serie A games.
It seems unlikely these two sides full of attacking talent will spend much time feeling each other out before someone hits the net.
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