Manchester City VS Lyon Match Prediction
2020-08-15
19:00:00
Manchester City
VS
Lyon
Our Prediction Tip
Manchester City will win this match.
2020-08-1519:00:00 Manchester City will win this match.
City and Lyon met in the group stage of last season’s competition, with Lyon winning at the Etihad Stadium and then drawing at home. It did not stop City advancing as group winners, but it does highlight the danger they can pose. Maxwel Cornet and Nabil Fekir scored at the Etihad before Bernardo Silva pulled a goal back and Cornet scored twice more in the home match but Aymeric Laporte and Sergio Aguero scored as City twice hit back to draw.
Maxwel Cornet’s performances when these teams last met are a reminder that this is not the straightforward tie for City that some are anticipating.
Pep Guardiola was keen to ensure a measured reaction to beating Real Madrid last time out, reminding people of Lyon’s success in this fixture last season.
Still, City are favourites – not just for this match but for the tournament. Even without Sergio Aguero, their goalscoring form has continued and Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne are in fine touch.
Phil Foden has seized his chance since the season restarted too, while Kyle Walker’s defensive performance against Real Madrid last time out showed he can handle Maxwel Cornet’s pace on the left.
City have had a few blips throughout the season, lacking consistency when it has mattered. Most recently, their flat performance in the FA Cup semi-final is proof of that.
But they have a huge opportunity in this tournament to at least match their best ever finish in the Champions League – the 2015-16 semi-finals.
A tough tie awaits in the semi-final after an unkind draw, but Pep Guardiola has stressed the importance of not looking too far ahead.
This too is a tough tie, against a team City failed to beat home or away last season.
They go into the match as favourites, however, and a professional performance should see them into the semi-finals.
Manchester City are 1/4 favourites to win their Champions League quarter-final against Lyon with Betway and 10Bet.
Ederson won the Premier League Golden Gloves for most clean sheets, but Lyon have the attacking talent to at least get on the scoresheet. Both teams to score is a best price of 11/10 with Betway.
With City in fine attacking form, meanwhile, over 2.5 goals will return a best price of 3/5 with Betway.
Sergio Aguero will miss out, but Raheem Sterling is in excellent goalscoring form once again. He is a best price of 11/10 with 888sport to score at any time.
Manchester City have generally been in fine form since the season resumed. A few blips have been reflective of their season as a whole, but it is hard to back against them.
Sergio Aguero is the only City player definitely absent, and Pep Guardiola may opt for a similar system to that which he used at the Etihad in the second-leg win against Real Madrid. Benjamin Mendy is back at left-back, having missed that game through suspension.
Raheem Sterling – It may have been an absolute gift, but he still scored his 31st goal of the season to continue his return to goalscoring ways last time out.
Kevin de Bruyne – The second leg was a rarity in that he did not add to his 15 goals or 23 assists for the season, but his phenomenal range of passing was still evident as he ran the show in the middle.
Aymeric Laporte – City’s improved defensive form with the Frenchman at the back shows exactly what they missed during his lengthy injury absence.
Victory against Real Madrid last time out – Gabriel Jesus setting up Raheem Sterling and scoring one himself after two defensive gaffes – was City’s third win in a row. They have previously ended the Premier League season with two big wins against teams that ended up relegated – thrashing Watford 4-0 and Norwich 5-0. Sterling scored three goals across those two games too.
Manchester City missed out on silverware with a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final, but they ended the Premier League season with two big wins. Raheem Sterling’s double and a goal each for Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte earned a 4-0 win at Watford, before Gabriel Jesus, Kevin de Bruyne’s double, Sterling and Riyad Mahrez earned a 5-0 victory at home to Norwich. City passed 100 league goals for the season as a result.
Jason Denayer will be keen to shake off a groin injury in order to face his former club, while Maxwel Cornet and Kenny Tete also face fitness tests – though Tete did not start last time out. Seven players were booked against Juventus, but none were in danger of suspension so Lyon could be unchanged pending Cornet and Denayer’s fitness tests. Moussa Dembele may be in line to come into the starting line-up, however.
Moussa Dembele – Scored 22 goals in 44 appearances to top Lyon’s goalscoring charts in the 2019-20 season.
Memphis Depay – His early penalty last time out was his 15th goal of the season in his 20th appearance, having shaken off injury during the time off.
Maxwel Cornet – City had no answer to him in last season’s group stage and while he is less prominent in attack this season with his new role, his pace could be key once more.
Since the Ligue 1 season was curtailed, Lyon have lost both competitive games they have played – on penalties to PSG in the Coupe de la Ligue final after a goalless draw and 2-1 to Juventus in the second leg of their last-16 tie. Memphis Depay’s early penalty in that game proved key, however, as Lyon drew 2-2- on aggregate and advanced on away goals.
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