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What to watch for in Manchester City UCL group stage opener

By Blake Gundy

Manchester City's Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero (front) celebrates with Manchester City's Argentinian defender Pablo Zabaleta after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions league first leg play-off football match between Steaua Bucharest and Manchester City at the National Arena stadium in Bucharest on August 16, 2016. / AFP / DANIEL MIHAILESCU (Photo credit should read DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty Images)
Manchester City's Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero (front) celebrates with Manchester City's Argentinian defender Pablo Zabaleta after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions league first leg play-off football match between Steaua Bucharest and Manchester City at the National Arena stadium in Bucharest on August 16, 2016. / AFP / DANIEL MIHAILESCU (Photo credit should read DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty Images) /
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The important matches are coming thick and fast now, and Manchester City have no time to rest, despite the impressive derby win in the weekend, which made it six wins from six in all competitions. Now, Manchester City gear up to play Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Etihad in their Champions League group stage opener.

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After Manchester City comprehensively beat Steaua București 6-0 on aggregate in the UEFA Champions League playoff, it is now time to begin the Champions league proper for the first time under new manager Pep Guardiola. City start with a home match against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The other two teams in Group C are Barcelona and Celtic.

If Guardiola’s side hope to finish first in the group and put off facing the other heavyweights of European football — who are likely to win their groups — until after the Round of the 16, then it is critical to start the campaign on a positive note. City will be hoping to build on their best Champions League campaign last season, which involved a run to the semi-final after finishing first in their group ahead of Juventus and beating Dynamo Kyiv and PSG in the knockout stages.

Mönchengladbach also had to come through the playoffs to reach the Champions League Group Stages and were extremely impressive in their 9-2 dismantling of Young Boys. However, Mönchengladbach suffered a defeat in the Bundesliga in the weekend, losing 3-1 to Freiburg.

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The two sides met in the Champions League Group Stages last season too: City topped the group, while Mönchengladbach finished last. However, don’t think that means things will be easy, City had to rely on late goals to get past Mönchengladbach. It was also only 7 points that separated the two sides, the smallest margin between first and last out of all the Champions League groups last season. The 4-2 win over Mönchengladbach which ensured City topped the group even featured three goals right at the end. Borussia Mönchengladbach will be a dangerous opponent.

Manchester City’s Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 28, 2016. / AFP / OLI SCARFF / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)
Manchester City’s Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 28, 2016. / AFP / OLI SCARFF / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images) /

Three Keys:

Here are three things to watch for in tomorrow’s match:

1) A rested and on-form Sergio Aguero.

Aguero missed the Manchester derby as he was banned for three games after he elbowed Winston Reid, but this ban does not apply to European matches. Sergio also did not travel with Argentina during the recent international break due to a slight injury he picked up against West Ham. Aguero is well and rested for this game, and he will be keen to get on the pitch after seeing his teammates play against Manchester United. Sergio has been in scintillating form so far this season, picking up six goals in just four games.

2) The attacking threat from Thorgan Hazard and Raffael.

Eden Hazard’s younger brother has been in tremendous form so far for Borussia Mönchengladbach, notching up a goal and an a assist so far in two Bundesliga games despite only playing for a total of 76 minutes. Hazard also played a huge part in the demolishing win over Young Boys, picking up three goals and two assists across the two legs. Raffael was also sublime against Young Boys. He managed to rack up four goals and three assists in the two games against the Swiss side. The Brazilian also scored last year against City in the Champions League.

3) Could Gundogan and Sané start their first matches for City?

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Leroy Sane of Manchester City in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on September 10, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 10: Leroy Sane of Manchester City in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on September 10, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /

Guardiola failed to beat Mönchengladbach in each of his last four games against them as Bayern Munich’s boss and will be looking to adjust his tactics and line-up to get the better of the German side. With City’s big squad, there are many changes that Guardiola could make to the team that won the Manchester derby. Sané came on for his debut in the weekend and was more involved than Sterling, although this was likely because City were pushing for a game-clinching goal. The other new German signing, Ilkay Gündoğan is reportedly nearing match fitness, and after De Bruyne looked absolutely knackered when he came off at United, it could be he is rested in favour of a City debut for Gündoğan.

The two games between the sides last season had a total of nine goals, and after the high intensity Manchester derby, this match could prove to be an exciting one indeed. City fans will be looking to see a more assured goalkeeping display from Claudio Bravo after his poor debut at Old Trafford. Bravo struggled both with his hands and feet, raising a few eyebrows about his purchase from Barcelona in lieu of Joe Hart’s ostracism from the first team for being unable to handle the ball with his feet as well as Guardiola wants. At the moment, Bravo feels like Guardiola’s goalkeeper rather than City’s, but that is sure to change with a few good performances. A first clean sheet of the season against teams not named Steaua București would be welcomed by fans and Guardiola alike.

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Guardiola is known for changing his lineups. He barely kept the same team from the match before at Bayern, so what will the team look like against Mönchengladbach? Here is my guess.

Predicted City XI: Bravo, Zabaleta, Stones, Otamendi, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sane, Aguero, Sterling.

My prediction is a 2-1 win for City.