The Blues welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to the Etihad Stadium tonight (7:45pm) in their second Group F encounter and – with Pep Guardiola’s men in blistering form, plus the subplot that Sergio Aguero could break the Club’s all-time goalscoring record – there are topics aplenty.
There’s even praise from an unexpected source, as Phil Neville has dubbed City ‘Europe’s most exciting team.’ (Yep, you read right!)
Quoted in a Sky Sports article, the former United man stated: “Well, after another 5-0 victory, you’ve got to say Manchester City are the most exciting side in Europe right now with the number of goals they are scoring.
“They’ll obviously have bigger tests but they are absolutely sensational to watch, and the pleasing thing for Pep Guardiola is that the team are keeping clean sheets as well.
“I would say the Manchester clubs are looking the best in the Premier League right now, with City shading it over United as favourites, but the question is whether that style can win them the title, because we know Jose Mourinho can deliver it with his approach.
“City are the most exciting side in the Premier League and you wouldn’t want to be playing them at the moment, but United don’t have to play them until November, so Mourinho has a lot of time to assess them.
“For now United just have to keep matching their results and not get behind too far behind with their goal difference because it is looking so close this season that it could be the deciding factor.”
Sounds familiar...
Previewing tonight’s game, the Manchester Evening News believe City ‘can break new ground’ in the Champions League.
Simon Bajkowski explains: “Six times Manchester City have participated in the Champions League group stages and six times they have failed to take six points from their opening two games.
“Pep Guardiola last season went further than his two predecessors by actually remaining unbeaten in those fixtures, albeit helped by not playing top seed Barcelona.
“City’s mission to be seen as one of the European contenders remains very much incomplete, but this is their best chance yet to take control of the group.
“Shakhtar’s surprise victory over Napoli means the Blues can be at least three points clear of any of their rivals after just two matchdays - a strong position to head into the double header with Serie A’s in-form team.
“If the players need any more motivation to win, they should watch just how well Napoli have started their season; anything BUT a win tonight and top spot in the group may be under serious threat.”
Meanwhile, the Guardian’s Barry Glendenning has warned Shakhtar are ready for another upset.
He reflects: “Shakhtar Donetsk took little time to hurl the cat among the pigeons in a Champions League group most observers expected to be dominated by Napoli and Manchester City, with the Ukrainian side and Feyenoord making up the numbers.
“While the Dutch champions duly crumbled at home against City in the last round of fixtures, the Ukrainian side’s 2-1 victory against the Italian league leaders was one of few surprises across the competition.
“Shakhtar still have plenty more to do to break the perceived duopoly established at the group stage draw in Monaco a month ago.
“Next up are City and bookmakers make Paulo Fonseca’s side big-priced outsiders to secure even a draw at the Etihad Stadium against a team who put four past Feyenoord and average more than three goals a game in the Premier League.
“Playing away from home is unlikely to be much of an inconvenience for Shakhtar players who have got used to travelling long distances.
“Having lost just once in 12 matches in all competitions this season, Shakhtar arrive in Manchester in fine form and despite City’s impressive start to the season, seem unlikely to be the pushovers odds-compilers expect.
“In Ukraine, against largely inferior opposition, Fonseca’s side play an expansive, possession-based attacking style, spending as much time as possible in the final third and making good use of their wide men to deliver crosses.
“In Europe, however, the manager has conceded he needs to rein in his baser impulses and against Napoli, Shakhtar scored an early goal and sat back before nicking another on the break.
“A penalty from Arkadiusz Milik left them worried towards the end, but with the defence creaking they managed to hold on for a win the Italian side’s manager, Maurizio Sarri, magnanimously insisted they deserved.”
In other news, Aguero has received deserved acclaim from a footballing legend.
Thierry Henry has told press he views the Argentine striker as the Premier League’s only world-class forward.
“The only one who is world class, or has been world class, is Aguero because of the longevity of what he has done in this league, year in and year out,” the Frenchman told Sky Sports, as reported by Goal.
“He won the league here and he has been doing it the longest. You have to give him a bit of credit. I think sometimes we bypass Aguero like he didn’t happen.”
Finally, there’s a snippet of transfer gossip as TalkSPORT claim City are keen on securing the services of Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto.
It’s suggested: “The midfielder, who is equally adept at full-back, is a long-term target for City boss Pep Guardiola while Chelsea have also been linked with the Barca man.
“The 25-year-old made 32 LaLiga appearances last term and his form attracted the attention of both Premier League clubs, who spent much of the summer trying to sign defenders.
“Barca managed to hold on to Roberto and he has gone on to make five further league appearances for the club but there is still plenty of speculation about his next move.
“Now Spanish newspaper Don Balon has claimed that City are finally willing to activate Roberto’s £35m release clause and could do it when the window opens in January.”
