FOOTBALLManchester City vs AEK Athens prediction
City looking to bounce back after PSG
Beaten 4-2 by PSG on the last matchday, Manchester City host AEK Athens knowing they must win. Enzo Maresca's side are on an impressive run in the league, with wins over Liverpool (3-0), Sunderland (5-3), Norwich (5-0) and Ipswich (3-2). But their defence is shaky: it has conceded 9 goals in the last 4 matches.
AEK Athens beat LASK Linz 1-0, before losing 3-1 at Shakhtar Donetsk. The Greek side will find it hard at the Etihad, but they have a strike partnership capable of exploiting the space.
African players to watch
- Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal): provided an assist against PSG and is expected to start.
- Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco): the young Moroccan midfielder is tipped to start.
- Harold Moukoudi (Cameroon): the AEK defender faces the tough task of containing City's attack.
Absentees
City are without Antoine Semenyo (knee, around eight weeks) and Nico O'Reilly (back). Erling Haaland could be rested. Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes, both injured against Ipswich, are doubts.
Our view
City score a lot but also concede regularly. Against an AEK side set up to counter-attack, a game with several goals looks likely. We go for a City win with over 2.5 goals in the match.
A prediction is never a certainty. Bet responsibly, 18+ only.