Betting Tips: Man City vs Schalke

With Domenico Tedesco's men struggling at the back and the Citizens prolific at the Etihad Stadium, Al Hain-Cole expects plenty of goalmouth action

Manchester City will be looking to confirm their place in the Champions League quarter-finals when they welcome Schalke to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

The Citizens are in firm control of the tie after coming from 2-1 behind to win 3-2 in Gelsenkirchen, with no team having ever failed to progress after scoring three goals in an away Champions League first leg.

Having lifted the Carabao Cup trophy and won three successive league games since that clash, they are overwhelming 1/7 (1.14) favourites with William Hill to make sure of progression by coming out on top once again.

In contrast, Domenico Tedesco’s men have lost all three of their Bundesliga games since the last meeting, and are hefty 20/1 (21.00) outsiders to pull off a shock win here.

None of the hosts’ last nine home matches in this competition have resulted in draws, but you can get odds of 7/1 (8.00) on them being held to a stalemate in this one.

Fabian Delph and Aymeric Laporte are back in contention after returning to the bench against Watford, although Claudio Bravo, John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne remain injured. Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi are both suspended.

Daniel Caligiuri is facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a torn ligament against Werder Bremen at the weekend, whilst Alessandro Schopf and Omar Mascarell also long term absentees.

Although there have been some surprising comebacks in the last 16 so far, it is particularly difficult to see Schalke become the first side to ever recover from leaking three goals in front of their own fans.

Indeed, the aggregate deficit seems only likely to increase considering they have conceded 11 times in three matches since the first leg, and are facing a City side that average almost four goals a game in their own back yard this season.

All in all, odds of 17/20 (1.85) appear generous on Pep Guardiola’s side ensuring over 3.5 goals for their fourth Champions League game in five, as well as Schalke’s seventh fixture in eight in all competitions.