Napoli v Manchester City Betting Preview – UEFA Champions League 1st November 7.45pm
Manchester City can book safe passage to the round of sixteen in the UEFA Champions League with a point on Wednesday night out in Naples. City took a 2-1 home victory over the Italians a fortnight ago, but they could be in a for a tougher time of things away from home against Napoli who have been strong on home soil all season. The Italian outfit will be desperate for three points after their loss at the Etihad and have to put up some kind of fight.
Napoli v Manchester City Betting Tips
These are then desperate times for Napoli who need a win in this one to just stay in touch in the group and that is because of their failings out on the road so far in the group. They lost 2-1 at Man City on match day three and they are going to need to call upon their home form, which is pretty impressive. They have won six of their seven home games in all competitions this season (D1) and saw off Feyenoord 3-1 in their other Champions League group stage home game this season at the Stadio San Paolo. They are unbeaten in their domestic league campaign and have averaged almost three goals per game as well as having stayed very solid at the back. There should be goals between these two sides against and both teams to score is as short as 2/5 at bet365 for this one.
The Partenopei have won four of their five home games against sides from the Premier League, drawing the other one and that is a huge positive which they can draw on. The last time they hosted a Premier League side they took a 3-1 victory over Swansea in the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League group stage. Before their loss against Manchester City on match day three, Napoli were unbeaten in three games against Premier League sides (W2 D1). Napoli are certainly not short of scoring power and Dries Mertens is a 4/6 anytime goalscorer option (he has ten goals in eleven league games this season) with Jose Callejon and Lorenzo Insigne both at 7/4. In the bet365 correct score market, the shortest priced option is the 1-1 draw at 13/2 while a Napoli 2-1 win is at 10/1. They pretty much have to throw the kitchen sink at this one and that will make them dangerous.
All that City need to do is avoid defeat in the game to book a place in the round of sixteen this season in the Champions League. That is because they have won all three of their games so far and it has been impressive stuff from them as well. This is the fourth time that the Citizens have been paired up with Italian opposition in the group stage of the tournament, their most recent encounter was with Juventus in the 2015/16 season, losing both games against the Old Lady. Manchester City don’t have a great running record against Italian sides as they have taken two wins in their last nine games against Italian opposition now home and away. The win over Napoli a fortnight ago added to a win over Roma in the 2014/15 group stage. The Citizens have just one win in Italy as well in a W1 D2 L3 record. Man City to win & Both teams to score, to repeat the first meeting, returns a price of 13/5 at bet365 for an option. City’s other away game in the group saw them tear Feyenoord apart in a 4-0 victory.
Manchester City to win to nil at bet365 is a price of 9/2 and that would be hugely impressive against a strong home side if they could pull that out of the bag. But the Citizens have picked up eight clean sheets in their last 12 games and they have gone 21 games unbeaten in all competitions (W17 D4) and have won 13 of their 15 fixtures this season (D2). Impressive stuff. Last season in the group stage, the Citizens didn’t get an away win on the board, picking up just two points with draws at Celtic and Borussia Monchengladbach. City’s big win at Feyenoord on match day one was just their second victory in their last eight away games in Europe so they haven’t been the strongest of travellers in Europe (D3 L3). In the anytime goalscorer market, Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus are joint 5/6 favourites for the visitors and Aguero needs one more goal to be the top scorer in the club’s history.
Napoli v Manchester City Betting Odds
Manchester City 7/5, Napoli 17/10, Draw 13/5
Napoli v Manchester City Predictions
Draw: Napoli have to go hard at the three points available in this one to keep their own qualification hopes alive. They will be stronger on home soil than they have been out on their travels this season and they could be value to stick in there for a point. City would be happy enough with that.
