Sporting Clube de Lisboa vs Manchester City
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Today’s secondary featured game is the UEFA Europa League game in Portugal between Sporting Lisbon and Manchester City.
Manchester City have already dealt with Porto and I rate Sporting as being a class below them at the moment. Sporting’s playing style has changed since the arrival of Sa Pinto as manager and given that they were already struggling for momentum, I think they’re ripe to be beaten here.
City had the enviable option of being able to name whatever squad Mancini desired when they faced Porto away, admittedly, especially given that they had no weekend fixture. That’s slightly different this time around with a tough trip to Swansea looming large at weekend and Mancini resting players here would not surprise me.
However, City have enough tactical strength and firepower to win this one, in my view. Sporting’s defence was poor in both games with Legia and they were arguably fortunate to progress. Sporting have bigger fish to fry domestically and I do think that their focus will be there moreso than here. Sporting won’t lie down for anyone at home – Portuguese sides are always difficult to beat away from home – but I don’t think they have the firepower nor the defence to do anything but lose this game if City feel like winning it.
With both Elias and Onyewu both absent for the hosts, you have to favour a determined City side to win this one at 4/5.
Verdict: Manchester City to win at 4/5.
Thursday’s Picks
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
Copa Libertadores:
Flamengo vs Emelec Guayaquil (7) 1-0
Godoy Cruz de Mendoza vs Atletico Nacional de Medellin (4) 1-1
Atletico Junior Barranquilla vs Bolivar La Paz (6) 1-0
UEFA Europa League:
Metalist Kharkiv vs Olympiakos Piraeus (5) 1-1
Sporting Clube de Lisboa vs Manchester City (7) 0-1
Twente Enschede vs Schalke 04 (5) 2-1
Atletico Madrid vs Besiktas JK (7) 2-0
Standard de Liege vs Hannover 96 (6) 0-0
Valencia CF vs PSV Eindhoven (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
AZ Alkmaar vs Udinese (5) 0-0
Manchester United vs Athletic Club de Bilbao (3) 1-2
Singaporean S-League:
Hougang United vs Balestier Khalsa (7) 1-0
Enjoy your free betting tips!