Sporting CP vs Man City: Match Preview & predictions
Sporting CP vs Man City: Match Preview & predictions. Manchester United bound manager Ruben Amorim could get the chance to get one over his future local rivals on Tuesday night as his Sporting CP side host Pep Guardiola‘s Manchester City in the Champions League.
Amorim was last week confirmed as Erik ten Hag’s successor, but the Portuguese coach won’t assume his role at Old Trafford until 11 November.
The Primeira Liga champions have started their 2024/25 campaign in remarkable form. Their title defence has begun with ten wins from ten matches so far and they’ve accumulated seven points through three league phase games. They oversaw victories against Lille and Sturm Graz, and was held to a 1-1 draw at PSV.
Man City’s healthy goal difference leaves them third in the league phase table despite also picking up seven points through their three league phase games as well. Pep Guardiola’s side have claimed comfortable triumphs over Slovan Bratislava and Sparta Prague after being held to a goalless draw by Inter Milan on Matchday 1.
Tuesday’s visitors, though, enter the contest off the back of two consecutive defeats. After losing to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup last Wednesday, the Cityzens also suffered their first Premier League loss of the new campaign at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Take a look at our guide below on the upcoming Champions League clash in Lisbon.
What time does Sporting CP vs Man City kick-off?
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Stadium: Estadio Jose Alvalade
Date: Tuesday 5 November
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT
Referee: Daniel Siebert (GER)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (GER)
Sporting CP vs Man City H2H Record (All Games)
Sporting CP: 1 win
Man City: 2 wins
Draws: 1
Last meeting: Man City 0-0 Sporting CP (9 March 2022) – Champions League.
Sporting CP team news;
Sporting’s injury woes pale in comparison to their visitors’ concerns, with Amorim only likely to be without Nuno Santos due to a knee injury which could keep him out for the rest of the calendar year.
Centre-backs Goncalo Inacio and Zeno Debast were withdrawn in the second half during Friday night’s win over Estrela, potentially with Tuesday’s game in mind.
Viktor Gyokeres is the man to watch up top for Sporting as he enters this contest having scored 20 goals in 16 games this season. Pedro Goncalves will operate as the home side’s primary playmaker from an inside left position.
Sporting CP predicted lineup vs Man City
Sporting CP (3-4-3): Israel; Debast, Diomande, Inacio; Quenda, Braganca, Hjulmand, Araujo; Trincao, Gyokeres, Goncalves.
Man City team news;
Man City’s injury crisis perhaps isn’t as bad as Guardiola feared last week, but Tuesday’s visitors will be without several key names up until the November international break.
Ruben Dias and John Stones both missed Saturday’s defeat due to respective muscle and foot injuries. Neither player will be involved in Lisbon. City are also without Jack Grealish, Oscar Bobb and Rodri.
Savinho and Kevin De Bruyne were unused substitutes at the Vitality which means they should at least travel to the Portuguese capital. De Bruyne hasn’t been in action since Matchday 1 of the league phase.
Man City predicted lineup vs Sporting CP
Man City CP (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Gundogan; Foden, Nunes, Doku; Haaland.
Sporting CP vs Man City score prediction;
It’s rarely time to overreact to City defeats, but there’s certainly reason for Guardiola to be concerned. Things don’t get any easier for the Cityzens here as they face a rampant Sporting team aiming to end Amorim’s tenure on a high.
There are chinks in the home side’s armour, especially out of possession, but this City team are not in their best shape to take advantage of such vulnerabilities given their form and absentees. The visitors are exploitable in transition without Rodri and Sporting boast a master counter-attacking outlet in Gyokeres who will pounce on an unsure defensive line.
The battle for control will be fierce and City are not expected to have it easy in Lisbon. Don’t expect thrills and spills, with Guardiola’s side also capable of edging this one out too.
Prediction: Sporting CP 1-2 Man City
