Man City vs Sparta Prague prediction, betting tips and odds: Czechs' luck looks about to run out

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Where to watch Man City vs Sparta Prague

You can watch Man City vs Sparta Prague in the Champions League at 8pm on Wednesday October 23, live on TNT Sports 2

Match prediction & best bet

Man City to win & both teams to score
1pt 12-5 BoyleSports

Recommended

4/5

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Man City vs Sparta Prague odds

Man City 1-12
Sparta Prague 33-1
Draw 12-1

Odds correct at time of publishing

Man City vs Sparta Prague predictions

Two backs-to-the-wall performances have got Sparta Prague up to four points in the new-look Champions League, but surely their luck will run out at the Etihad Stadium.

The Czech champions have pulled off a 3-0 win over Red Bull Salzburg and a 1-1 draw at Stuttgart despite boasting just 29 and 23 per cent possession in those matches.

Stuttgart rained down 26 attempts on their goal but Sparta keeper Peter Vindahl Jensen had one of those nights when everything fired at him - bar Enzo Millot's seventh-minute effort - was kept out.

That is to their credit but they are going to have to do it again with bells on in Manchester because Pep Guardiola's side are sure to be camped in and around their box and the efforts on goal will pile up once more.

The fact they managed to fend off Stuttgart shows what they can do, but the likelihood is that City will turn on the taps, just as Liverpool did to Sparta when they last visited English shores in March. That Europa League road trip ended in a 6-1 mauling.

City are also on four points courtesy of a 0-0 draw with Inter and a 4-0 win at Slovan Bratislava, Sparta's old rivals back in Czechoslovakian times. City racked up 28 shots in Bratislava in the type of one-sided demolition job that they are taken to reproduce this midweek.

Backing City and Sparta both to score makes more appeal at 12-5 than simply City to win and over 3.5 goals at around 10-11.

For while City will absolutely dominate possession and probably score at will, they have looked suspect defensively and Rodri's absence hasn't helped.

Rico Lewis and John Stones have mistakes in them and City can be exposed by pace on the counter. They have conceded in eight of their last ten matches and Sparta have decent forwards in Veljko Birmancevic and Lukas Haraslin while giant centre-back Martin Vitik is a consistent goalscorer.

Sparta have found the net in all 18 of their games this season and while Shamrock Rovers and Ceske Budejovice are no Man City, scoring home and away against Steaua Bucharest and Malmo and firing three past Salzburg merit respect.

Guardiola won't necessarily field his strongest side, either, in the midst of a busy schedule, but Arsenal and Inter are the only teams in the last two years to stop City scoring at the Etihad and Sparta are nowhere near that level.

Key stat

City are unbeaten in 25 Champions League matches and have won 11 of their last 14

Man City vs Sparta Prague team news

Man City
Rodri and Oscar Bobb are definitely out with Kyle Walker and Kevin de Bruyne unlikely to be involved.

Sparta Prague
Long-term crock, wing-back Imanol, is unfit. Right centre-back Martin Vitik returns from a domestic ban.

Probable teams

Man City (4-2-3-1): Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Stones, Gvardiol; Nunes, Gundogan; Doku, Foden, Grealish; Haaland
Subs: Stones, Dias, Kovacic, Esbrand, McAtee, Savinho, Silva

Sparta Prague (3-4-3): Jensen; Vitik, Panak, Zelezny; Preciado, Kairinen, Laci, Rynes; Birmancevic, Rrahmani, Haraslin
Subs: Suchomel, Sorensen, Wiesner, Sadilek, Solbakken, Tuci, Olatunji

Inside info

Man City

Star man Phil Foden
Top scorer Erling Haaland
Penalty taker Erling Haaland
Card magnet Ruben Dias
Assist ace Jeremy Doku
Set-piece aerial threat John Stones

Sparta Prague

Star man Veljko Birmancevic
Top scorer Lukas Haraslin
Penalty taker Veljko Birmancevic
Card magnet Kaan Kairinen
Assist ace Angelo Preciado
Set-piece aerial threat Martin Vitik

Man City vs Sparta Prague bet builder predictions

Phil Foden over 2.5 Shots
The England ace had five shots and a goal in Bratislava and would relish what is set to be a rare start for his club this season

Over eight Man City corners
They had 15 against Slovan, chalking them up at will, and should do so again against a Sparta side who allowed ten in Stuttgart

Peter Vindahl Jensen over 6.5 Saves
The Dane was a busy boy in Stuttgart making nine saves, most easy, and can expect an even more intense working over at the Etihad

Pays out at 16-5 with bet365

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