Manchester City vs FC Porto Predictions & Tips

With their harrowing quarter final defeat to Lyon in last season’s competition still relatively fresh in their minds, Manchester City start their quest of continental glory afresh in the Champions League on Wednesday with a Group C meeting with Portuguese champions Porto.

The Citizens haven’t looked quite at their fluid best in 2020/21, with lingering central defensive issues and an uncharacteristic lack of final third oomph combining to produce some less than inspiring performances.

After a rocky, if ultimately successful Premier League opening week victory at Wolves, Pep Guardiola’s expensively assembled side were dismantled at home to Leicester before City dropped two more points at Leeds, though their hard-fought 1-0 triumph at home to Arsenal on Saturday in their last outing should help to raise confidence levels at the Etihad Stadium.

Porto face tough task

Portuguese giants and experienced Champions League campaigners FC Porto make a welcome return to the Group Stages of Europe’s elite club competition this season having failed to make the cut last year.

Sérgio Conceição’s side will fancy their chances of taking second spot in Group C behind favourites Man City in what looks an open section behind the Citizens with Marseille and Olympiakos also vying for knockout round qualification.

Porto’s preparations for what should prove their most difficult group game on Wednesday have been far from ideal however, after the Dragoes dropped five points in two league matches following a 3-2 loss to Maritimo and a 2-2 draw at old rivals Sporting CP.

Entertaining evening likely at the Etihad Stadium

Having shipped five goals in their last two games, FC Porto will arrive in Manchester with a brittle looking backline that a formidable City team can crack.

While the Citizens have yet to fully find their groove, they have still averaged a healthy 2.0 goals per 90 minutes so far this season, and with Raheem Sterling in lethal form, Sergio Aguero inching towards full fitness and Riyad Mahrez’s creative powers looking potent, City should prove too powerful a force for Porto to resist.

Man City have kept just one clean sheet so far this season however, while their defensive record in the Champions League is also far from impressive. Remarkably, the Citizens conceded in 100% of their last seven assignments in the tournament, and a technically gifted Porto team should find they have opportunities to make an impact on the scoresheet on Wednesday.

As a result, the over 2.5 goals and both teams to score combination looks well worth considering for this week’s encounter at the Etihad, while our correct score prediction backs City’s superior firepower to eventually tell in a 3-1 home win.

Guardiola’s charges averaged a meaty 3.3 goals per game across their last nine Champions League home matches, and another trio of strikes looks well within their capabilities against a Porto outfit that conceded five times in their last two outings.