Manchester City vs Lyon Preview: Recent Form, Team News, Key Battle, Predictions & More
Manchester City get their 2018/19 Champions League campaign underway on Wednesday evening with a home fixture against French side Lyon.
Pep Guardiola's side looked to be one of the favourites to lift the Champions League trophy last season, but were surprisingly swept aside by Premier League rivals Liverpool at the quarter final stage. After enjoying domestic domination during 2017/18, the next step for the Citizens will be to win their first ever European silverware.
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As for Lyon, they are making their return to Europe's top competition following a season long absence. The French club have not managed to reach the knockout stages in the Champions League since 2012 and their primary objective will be to earn themselves a coveted spot in the last 16.
Here's a look at everything you need to know ahead of the Group F clash.
Recent Form
It has come as no surprise to see that City are so far unbeaten in the League after five matches. Convincing victories over Arsenal, Huddersfield, Newcastle and Fulham proved that they are still capable of performing at the highest level, but their record isn't perfect.
A 1-1 draw against newly promoted Wolves in their fourth match demonstrated that nothing can be taken for granted this season, and they will be fully aware that there is now a big target painted on their backs.
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Lyon have endured a mixed start to their season in France and have only managed to amass two wins from five matches. Les Gones brushed aside SC Amiens and RC Strasbourg but were defeated by Stade Reims and Nice. Their most recent fixture saw them draw 2-2 with SM Caen, leaving them eighth in the Ligue 1 table.
Key Battle
Gabriel Jesus vs. Jason Denayer
Sergio Aguero has been the focal point of the attack for Manchester City so far this season but he picked up a knock against Fulham at the weekend, meaning that Gabriel Jesus is likely to lead the line by himself.
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The Brazilian hasn't quite hit top form yet this season and he only has one goal to his name - despite featuring in all of City's Premier League matches so far. There will be a lot of pressure on him to perform on Wednesday, and getting himself on the score sheet will do him the world of good.
He'll be coming up against a former Manchester City player in the shape of Jason Denayer. The Belgian never made a competitive appearance during his five years as a City player so he will be out to make his former employers regret their decision to never give him a chance to impress.
Team News
As previously mentioned, Aguero is likely to miss out on Wednesday after he picked up a knock against Fulham. Benjamin Mendy is another doubt after he was forced to miss out on the weekend, whereas another man who didn't feature on the weekend, Vincent Kompany, was left out by Guardiola by choice so he should be fit for selection.
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Lyon are set to without Amine Gouiri and Marcal, but the big question surrounds who will start up top. Memphis Depay was rested at the weekend for new signing Moussa Dembele, but the Dutchman should return to the side for this one.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Delph; Fernandinho, D.Silva, B. Silva; Sane, Sterling, Jesus.
Lyon: Lopes; Rafael, Marcelo, Denayer, Mendy; Tousart, Ndombele, Traore, Aouar, Fekir; Depay.
Predictions
Manchester City are the favourites to dominate Group F and they will surely cruise to a comfortable victory in this one.
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Lyon will play as conservatively as possible in an attempt to either scrape a point or to concede as few goals as possible in order to gain an advantage over their other group rivals Shakhtar Donetsk and Hoffenheim.
City will dictate the tempo of the game and an emphatic victory will set the tone for the rest of their Champions League campaign.
Predicted scoreline: Manchester City 4-0 Lyon
