With a comfortable two-goal lead from their first-leg victory in Denmark, Manchester City is in a strong position. Their recent win against rivals Manchester United further boosts their confidence, with Phil Foden's standout performance earning praise from manager Pep Guardiola.
Currently sitting second in the Premier League, Manchester City is only one point behind leaders Liverpool. However, their focus now shifts to the Champions League, where they aim to secure a spot in the quarter-finals for the seventh consecutive season.
In their previous encounter with Copenhagen, goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and Foden secured a victory for Manchester City. With an unbeaten record against Copenhagen in their previous five meetings, Manchester City is poised for another strong performance.
Copenhagen, on the other hand, faces an uphill battle after their defeat in the first leg. Despite recent wins in the Danish Superliga, they suffered a setback in their title race with a defeat to Midtjylland.
Heading into the second leg, Copenhagen aims to make history by securing their first away win against English opposition in European competition. However, they face a formidable challenge against Manchester City, especially considering their poor record in Champions League away games and their previous heavy defeat at the Etihad Stadium.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Manchester City's only sidelined player is Jack Grealish, who is dealing with a groin injury and might not be available for England's upcoming international matches.However, the team received a boost with Josko Gvardiol's return to the squad after being sidelined for six games due to an ankle injury. Gvardiol's comeback could see him starting at left-back, potentially pushing Nathan Ake out of the starting lineup or moving him to center-back.
Considering their comfortable lead against Copenhagen and the upcoming match against Liverpool, manager Pep Guardiola might opt for some changes in the starting lineup. Players like Manuel Akanji, Rico Lewis, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes, and Julian Alvarez could get the nod for a starting position.
As for Copenhagen, Lukas Lerager is back from suspension, but he joins Theo Sander, Davit Khocholava, and Viktor Claesson on the injury list. Emil Hojlund is also doubtful for the match and will be evaluated closer to kickoff.
In the absence of Claesson, the striking duties could fall to Andreas Cornelius, Jordan Larsson, or Roony Bardghji, alongside Elias Achouri and Mohamed Elyounoussi in attack.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester City possible starting lineup:Ederson; Walker, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Rodri; Foden, Alvarez, Doku; Haaland
Copenhagen possible starting lineup:
Grabara; Jelert, Vavro, McKenna, Diks; Goncalves, Falk, Mattsson; Elyounoussi, Larsson, Achouri
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester City 4-1 FC Copenhagen
Copenhagen, on the other hand, can approach the game without pressure and aim to replicate some of their positive moments from the first leg. However, Manchester City is expected to have the edge over the Danish team, and it's likely that the defending champions will secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
