Manchester City v Club Brugge predictions: Citizens set for high-scoring victory

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Manchester City v Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 8pm Wednesday

Best bets

Manchester City to win 3-1
1pt 11-1 bet365, Hills

Manchester City to win 4-1
1pt 14-1 general

Team news

Manchester City
Ferran Torres (foot) is City's only injury absentee. Aymeric Laporte should start as he is suspended for Saturday's Premier League Manchester derby.

Club Brugge
Eder Balanta is suspended after being booked in the first three group games. Bas Dost, who scored twice at the weekend, is set to lead the line.

Match preview

Champions League Group A outsiders Club Brugge made a promising start to a daunting section, holding Paris St-Germain to a 1-1 draw at home on matchday one before a 2-1 victory away to RB Leipzig.

The Belgian champions were hammered 5-1 at home by Manchester City on matchday three, however, and they are 28-1 to upset the Citizens in the return fixture.

City's shock 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday is probably bad news for Brugge.

The last six times Pep Guardiola's side have lost in the top flight they went on to win their next league game, scoring five goals in four of them and four goals once.

With a derby clash away to Manchester United to come on Saturday, Pep and his players will be even more motivated to banish memories of their loss to Palace, in which they had nearly 68 per cent of possession despite being reduced to ten men just before half-time.

City's defence gave virtually nothing away in the Champions League group stage last season, when the only goal they conceded in six games came in the 14th minute of their opening 3-1 home win over Porto.

This term, though, their group matches have been far more frantic with a 6-3 home victory over Leipzig followed by a 2-0 defeat away to PSG where they had 18 shots to their hosts' six and were denied by the woodwork twice.

Riyad Mahrez alone had more attempts on goal than PSG's star-studded attacking unit in that game so Brugge can expect a similar onslaught to the one they faced in Belgium a fortnight ago.

Mahrez, so effective for City on Champions League nights, scored twice in Bruges and full-backs Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker also notched, demonstrating the threat posed by the Citizens all over the park.

Brugge's star man, Belgium international Hans Vanaken, tucked away a late consolation goal, maintaining his record of scoring in every group game, and the visitors may be able to land a blow at the Etihad too.

A comfortable City win is expected but Guardiola will have an eye on Saturday's early kick-off at Old Trafford so splitting stakes between a 3-1 and 4-1 correct score could be the way to go.

Key stat

Both teams have scored in Club Brugge's last four Champions League games, against Lazio, PSG, Leipzig and City.

Inside info

Manchester City

Penalty taker Kevin De Bruyne/Riyad Mahrez
Free-kick wizard Kevin De Bruyne
Set-piece aerial threat Aymeric Laporte
Card magnet Rodri

Club Brugge

Penalty taker Bas Dost
Free-kick wizardRuud Vormer
Set-piece aerial threatHans Vanaken
Card magnetStanley N'Soki

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