Manchester City vs Dynamo Kiev: Champions League Preview & Prediction

Manchester City are in a favourable position to secure their passage into their first-ever Champions League quarter-final when they welcome Dynamo Kiev to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night in their last-16 second-leg tie.

The Premier League side; who could only muster a 0-0 draw at Carrow Road on Saturday against relegation threatened Norwich City, won the first-leg encounter in Ukraine comfortably last month, with goals from Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Yaya Toure sealing an encouraging 3-1 away victory.

With their weekend’s goalless stalemate dealing another major blow to their Premier League title bid, leaving them 12 points adrift of leaders Leicester City, Manuel Pellegrini’s men will be doubly determined to reach the last-eight for the first time since qualifying for the elite competition back in 2011 to give their fans some hope of more silverware come the end of the season.

The Capital One Cup 2016 champions hold a two-goal advantage over their Ukrainian opponents on Tuesday night; including three away goals to their name, but it was funnily enough Kiev who knocked out the Citizens the last time these two teams met in a European tournament following their 2-1 aggregate victory in the Europa League back in March 2011.

The away side’s most attacking threat is Ukraine international Andriy Yarmolenko, with the right winger netting 15 goals in all competitions so far this season.

However he is not the only star player City should be aware of as fellow midfielder Miguel Veloso is a highly-experienced Portugal international, whilst Austrian centre-back Aleksandar Dragovic has been linked with Chelsea and Manchester United in recent transfer windows.

More encouragingly for the visitors, City are the only team left in the competition to not yet register a clean sheet in the Champions League this campaign.

However the Citizens have scored more goals than any other team in the final 15 minutes of games in this competition this term – netting six late on.

Team News:

Midfielder Yaya Toure has recovered from injury and is fit to play in Tuesday night’s visit of Kiev at the Etihad.

The Ivory Coast international missed Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Norwich in the Premier League because of a heel injury.

Aside from Toure’s return, City boss Pellegrini has no fresh injury concerns.

Only long-term casualties Kevin De Bruyne (Knee), Samir Nasri (Hamstring) and Fabian Delph (Calf) are the definite absentees from the second-leg clash.

Meanwhile Ukrainian league leaders Dynamo Kiev have no injury worries themselves ahead of the trip to England.

Group Position: Man City – 1st (Group D – 12 pts); Dynamo Kiev – 2nd (Group G – 11 pts)
Previous Meeting: Dynamo Kiev 1-3 Man City – February 24, 2016
Form: Man City – LWDLWD; Dynamo Kiev – WWWLWW
Key Men: Man City – Sergio Aguero; Dynamo Kiev – Andriy Yarmolenko
Shoot Says: Manchester City 2-0 Dynamo Kiev