The next clear-cut number for the Citizens?
In Group G of the Champions League, FC Copenhagen are already as good as eliminated with just one point and 0:8 goals. After the recent 0-5 defeat at the Etihad Stadium, the only question for many is how bad the home defeat will be in the second leg. However, the Lions are strong at home and have lost only one of their last 13 home games in the Champions League group stage (six wins, six draws).
Curiously, the Danes’ last three Champions League home games have all ended in 0-0 draws. However, with Erling Haaland’s goal tally at 28 in 22 Champions League games, FC Copenhagen’s odds against Manchester City are anything but favourable for another goalless draw for the Lions.
In fact, the Danes, who were already hopelessly overmatched against the English champions last week and could well have lost by a greater margin, go into the second leg as heavy underdogs. We do not expect the Sky Blues, who are in good form, to let anything slip.
Accordingly, there is a lot of value in betting on an away win for the Citizens with at least a three-goal difference in FC Copenhagen against Manchester City.
FC Copenhagen – Statistics & current form
FC Copenhagen celebrated winning their 14th national championship this summer. In the new season, however, the Lions could not even begin to build on this. After a lumpy start with six defeats from the first ten league games, coach Jesse Thorup had to pack his bags in September.
His successor, Jacob Neestrup, managed a 1-0 home win over Aarhus on his debut. However, the “Byens Hold” (the club of the city) then suffered a 5-0 debacle in the top flight, which was followed by a 1-1 draw against Nordjaelland at the weekend.
Six of the first twelve league games lost
Overall, the Copenhageners continued to fall well short of expectations. After twelve matchdays, they are only in a disappointing seventh place in the Superligaen, while in the Champions League they are already five points behind second place after three games.
The reigning Danish champions are particularly lacking in their forward play. In the top flight, FCK failed to score in all three group matches. Only the goalless draw at home against struggling Sevilla FC earned them a point.
Only lost one of last 13 home matches in CL group stage
It is striking that the Lions are generally considered difficult to beat in front of their own fans. In the Champions League group stage, only one of the last 13 home games was lost (six wins, six draws).
However, the last three home games all ended 0-0, which is unlikely to be maintained against the offensively strong Citizens. The underdog role of the Neestrup eleven is correspondingly large.
Predicted line-up of FC Copenhagen:
Grabara – Kristiansen – Khocholava – Vavro – Diks – Claesson – Lerager – Stamenic – Daramy – Jóhannesson – Karamoko
Last matches played by FC Copenhagen:
Superleague
08/10/2022 – FC Copenhagen 1 – 1 FC Nordsjälland
Champions League Grp. G
06/10/2022 – Manchester City 5 – 0 FC Copenhagen
Superleague
02/10/2022 – FC Copenhagen 1 – 0 Aarhus GF
18/09/2022 – FC Midtjylland 2 – 1 FC Copenhagen
Champions League Grp. G
15/09/2022 – FC Copenhagen 0 – 0 FC Sevilla
Manchester City – Statistics & current form
Manchester City are “only” second in the Premier League as Arsenal FC are currently on a surprising run of form, picking up 24 of a possible 27 points from their first nine games. Nevertheless, things are going very well for the Sky Blues.
In the league, Pep Guardiola’s team is the only one still completely unbeaten and only occupies second place with 23 out of a possible 27 points because of two draws. However, the really explosive duels are still to come for the Citizens.
Last week already, a clear situation was established early on
This week in particular is very groundbreaking. On the one hand, an away win in Denmark could already put the last 16 of the Champions League in the bag. On the other hand, the Premier League’s top match at Anfield Road with Liverpool FC on Sunday is already casting its shadow.
The Sky Blues should be all the more interested in making things clear early on in Copenhagen. The first leg saw them take an unassailable 3-0 lead at the break, after which Pep Guardiola even had the luxury of resting Erling Haaland after the first half and substituting him early on.
Recently won four in a row with a three-goal difference
Although the Citizens have lost two of their last four away games in the Champions League, there is hardly any serious doubt that FC Copenhagen vs Manchester City tip 2 will work out. Consequently, the big question is how to get the most value out of the bet.
In view of the fact that the Sky Blues have won four consecutive games with at least a three-goal difference – including the Manchester derby against arch-rivals United (6:3) – we are betting on the next clear City victory.
Predicted Manchester City line-up:
Ederson – Gómez – Laporte – Dias – Cancelo – Grealish – Silva – Gündogan – Mahrez – Álvarez – Haaland
Last matches played by Manchester City:
Premier League
08/10/2022 – Manchester City 4 – 0 Southampton
Champions League Grp. G
06/10/2022 – Manchester City 5 – 0 FC Copenhagen
Premier League
02/10/2022 – Manchester City 6 – 3 Manchester United
17/09/2022 – Wolverhampton 0 – 3 Manchester City
Champions League Grp. G
15/09/2022 – Manchester City 2 – 1 Borussia Dortmund
FC Copenhagen – Manchester City Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 0 – 1 – 2
The two teams have faced each other a total of three times so far and the Danes are still waiting for their first win against the Sky Blues. Manchester once edged Copenhagen 4-3 on aggregate in the 3rd round of the UEFA Cup in 2008/09, but last week’s first leg at the Etihad Stadium ended in a 5-0 home win for the Citizens.
FC Copenhagen – Manchester City betting tips
When it comes to FC Copenhagen vs Manchester City, the prediction formally goes in the direction of the Sky Blues, who top Group G of the Champions League with a commanding nine points and 11-1 goals. The English champions have won their last six competitive matches in a row, and have always earned a victory with at least a three-goal difference in five of those six games – most recently four in a row.
Because the Danes were only kept out of the first leg by their excellent keeper, we expect a clear City away win in the second leg as well.
