Manchester City came away with all three points with a resounding 3-0 win over Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk at Kharkiv on matchday three.
Pep Guardiola’s men will be in high spirits after an emphatic 6-1 win over Southampton on Sunday and the Citizens will once again be the outright favourites to come away with a victory when they face Shakhtar at Etihad for the return leg on Wednesday.
Ilkay Gundogan has started to train with the squad but he is yet to recover fully from his hamstring injury and Pep Guardiola is unlikely to risk him. Kevin de Bruyne is ruled out due to a knee injury while Claudio Bravo and Eliaquim Mangala are long-term absentees due to Achilles and knee injuries respectively. Nicolas Otamendi is also doubtful to feature on Wednesday due to a minor knock.
He has excelled in his role as a sweeper keeper, making some key saves and has always been a reliable presence between the sticks.
The Englishman picked up a knock on Sunday but played the ninety minutes and is expected to start in the Champions League.
He put in another solid performance on Sunday and should start ahead of Vincent Kompany in the next game.
The Frenchman has established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet this season and has been a reliable presence at the back.
He has contributed a lot to both defence and attack and will be expected to do the same on Wednesday.
There is hardly anyone who can replace the Brazilian even at the age of 33. He has been one of the pivots of the side for quite a long time now and will be expected to come up with another top-notch performance on Wednesday.
His liveliness, passing and creativity are invaluable assets to the team.
The diminutive Spaniard has been one of the standout performers for the Citizens this season and his creativity in the final third is indispensable.
The German has caused a lot of problems for the opposition with his pace and tireless running.
The Algerian did not make an appearance against Southampton but is likely to feature on Wednesday.
The Brazilian hasn’t been in good form this season and Guardiola should hand him a start ahead of Aguero to help him regain his confidence.