Having run out comfortable 3-0 winners in Kiev, Al Hain-Cole expects Guardiola's men to rack up at least the same scoreline at the Etihad Stadium
Manchester City will be determined to avoid a fourth consecutive Champions League home defeat when they welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Basel, Liverpool and Lyon have all come out on top in the last three European matches at this ground, leaving Pep Guardiola’s men in danger of becoming the first English side in the history of the European Cup to lose four in a row on home turf.
However, having secured a convincing 3-0 win away in Ukraine two weeks ago, they are overwhelming 1/10 (1.10) favourites with 888Sport to end that run with a victory here.
The Miners have lost six and won none of their seven previous European fixtures in England, but are available at 22/1 (23.00) to collect maximum points on this occasion.
None of the hosts’ last 15 matches in this competition have resulted in draws, but there are odds of 9/1 (10.00) available on this one finishing up all square.
Ilkay Gundogan, Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala are all doubts, while Kevin De Bruyne and Claudio Bravo remain long-term absentees. Taison, Ivan Ordets and Maksim Malyshev have all been ruled out, with Marlos and Taras Stepanenko also unlikely to feature.
With so many injury problems, Paulo Fonseca’s team are certainly up against it to put an end to their poor record on English soil when they take on a team who outclassed them so comprehensively last time out.
Indeed, with 15 goals to their name in the four home matches since their shock home defeat against Lyon on Matchday One, the Citizens will be backing themselves to at least match the 3-0 winning scoreline they recorded in Kiev.
All in all, even odds (2.00) are well worth backing on City winning by at least three clear goals against a Shakhtar Donetsk team they easily dispatched 3-0 in the away clash.