Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City Betting Preview – UEFA Champions League 6th December 7.45pm
Shakhtar Donetsk only needs to avoid defeat in their match day six fixture against Manchester City on Wednesday night. It may work in their favour that City have already won the group and don’t need to turn up and produce much of a performance for anything in this one. So if the Citizens have not interest in that, then it could help the Ukrainians get the result that they need and join the Citizens in the next round of the competition.
Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City Betting Tips
The Ukrainians have to avoid defeat in this game in order to join Manchester City in the next round of the tournament. If Napoli loses their final game then that would put Shakhtar through. The Ukrainians lost 2-0 at Man City back on match day to and just need to dig in for a point. Their loss against Napoli on match day five has put a bit of pressure on them in this one, but they are still in control of second place. Shakhtar Donetsk have won their two home games so far in the group, taking down Napoli 2-1 and Feyenoord 3-1. So both teams to score at William Hill for his game is appealing a 4/7. Shakhtar are also on an unbeaten streak of form at home against English sides as well having gone W4 D2 from their previous six hostings. Their last home encounter with an English side was against Man Utd in the 2013/14 group stage which ended in a draw.
Overall the Pitmen hold a W4 D4 L6 record against English sides home and away. Shakhtar are not actually playing at home because they are in Kharkiv instead because of political unrest in the Ukraine. Overall they are not in great form in Europe on home soil because they have only claimed the five wins in their last fourteen home fixtures in the Champions League proper. They have only suffered the one defeat though in their last twelve European fixtures on home soil across the Champions League and Europa League (W9 D2) and that defeat was against Celta Vigo in last season’s Europa League round of 32. In the William Hill correct score market, the shortest priced option is the 1-1 draw at 5/1 while a 2-1 win for Shakhtar or a 2-1 win for City will return a price of 9/1. The Ukrainians are in good form with nine wins in their last eleven games in all competitions (D1 L1).
This is a dead rubber forth Citizens because they have sealed top spot with some ease in the group. So there’s no need for them to bust a gut in this one. Kevin de Bruyne is suspended for the game. City have landed 21 wins from 22 fixtures across all competitions this season and they have made easy work of things in the Champions League. Across all competitions, they are unbeaten in their last 28 games now (W25 D3) since losing to Arsenal in the FA Cup semi finals back in April. Raheem Sterling is on a four match scoring streak in all competitions and he is a price of 5/2 in the anytime goalscorer market. City have only been to the Ukraine twice before and from those trips, they have gone W1 L1 and their overall record with Ukrainian sides is W3 D1 L1. The Citizens have won both of their away games in the group so far and that is just two of three wins they have recorded in their last nine away games in Europe (D3 L3). The outcome of this is all going to be dependent on how interested the Citizens really are.
Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City Betting Odds
Shakhtar Donetsk 11/8, Man City 9/4, Draw 12/5
Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City Predictions
The Ukrainians are decent value to dig in there and produce a point. This is a long trip for Man City to undertake before their big Premier League derby against rivals Manchester United on the weekend. They may extend their unbeaten streak of form, but they may not get the win on the board.
