Five things to look out for - PSG vs Manchester City

Yesterday at 06:19 PM

City travel to Paris in big UEFA Champions League game

Manchester City face Paris Saint Germain in the seventh UEFA Champions League first phase, with both sides still in the battle to claim a qualifying phase.

City are fresh off the back of a convincing 6-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town, but are weakened by the fact they can't register new signings Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis for this competition and injuries to Jeremy Doku and Nathan Ake.

PSG, meanwhile, are sitting comfortably top of Ligue 1 with an unbeaten record and have gone ten matches without losing, but sit below City in the league table in 25th place.

Here are five things to look out for as City clash with the French champions:

Pep and Haaland's comments coming to fruition

The pre-match comments from both Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola give something of an outlook into the game.

Firstly, Guardiola's relentless praise of the opposition is something that City fans have gotten used to from his press conferences other the years, and he makes no exception with his praise of Luis Enrique's side.

This can be taken with a pinch of salt; although Guardiola is right, PSG are an excellent side (and one who seem to be benefiting from selling the egos of the side) he has previously been known for making superlative claims, such as he will take tips from recently sacked Southampton manager Russell Martin.

Haaland as well can't be taken one hundred percent seriously when talking about staying at City for as long as nine and a half years - he has always, and will always, be linked with a move away from City, and will be foolish to not keep his options open.

But with both of them, their upbeat attitude shows a lift in City's fortunes.

Guardiola is a happier man than after his press conference against Feyenoord just under two months ago, whilst Haaland's new contract proves that he is supremely comfortable at City and won't just stay for two or three years as initially suggested.

It seemed unlikely that we'd be saying this before Christmas, but with the upturn in performances and particularly results it would hardly be surprising to see a controlled City performance courtesy of Guardiola's tactics capped with a Haaland goal and a good result.

Ake and Doku's injuries are extremely unfortunate

The two players who were beginning to have an increased influence on the team are now facing a spell on the sideline, which is unfortunate both for themselves and for City.

Ake was beginning to have a real influence on the backline, and was stepping up to fill Ruben Dias's shoes whilst he was injured.

Doku, meanwhile, was perhaps not a guaranteed starter but he played very well against Ipswich and Salford City, and for the first time was really beginning to show some building momentum and consistency.

In the shape of Savinho, Jack Grealish, Dias, Manuel Akanji, John Stones, Josko Gvardiol and soon to be Khusanov, Reis and Omar Marmoush too, City have replacements, but it's gutting for Doku and Ake personally that they have to spend yet more time on the injury table.

The same front four as against Brentford, Leicester and West Ham

Doku's injury means City are now almost certain to start with the same front four that scored seven goals in three games between them - Savinho, Haaland, Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne.

The 20 year old Brazilian looks like a player reborn on City's left hand side, whilst De Bruyne is getting back to his best as the tempo setter in the middle and Foden is beginning to join his football again in a free role on the right.

Haaland is finding his shooting boots again and the quartet will be confident of giving PSG's backline a difficult match.

Bernardo replacing Gundogan and Savinho in for Doku in an otherwise unchanged lineup

One change will be forced - Doku dropping out the side - but other than that I can see Guardiola wanting to make as few changes to his side as possible.

The only one I can see realistically would be to bring Bernardo Silva into midfield for Ilkay Gundogan.

As good as the 34 year old was against Ipswich, Bernardo offers more out of possession and may be more suited for playing against a team that are going to have more of the ball like PSG.

But the core of the team - Ederson, Akanji, Dias, Mateo Kovacic, De Bruyne, Foden and Haaland is almost certain to remain the same after their impressive outing against the Tractor Boys.

Another classic matchup between City and PSG

When these two sides meet, it tends to be a classic.

Their first meeting was in a Champions League quarter final in 2016. A scintillating 2-2 draw in the first leg, where Joe Hart saved a Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty, set City up for a 1-0 win in the second leg thanks to a De Bruyne strike.

Then, in 2021, a Champions League semi final first leg at the Parc de Prince. City were winners on the day, with Kevin de Bruyne's cross-cum-shot and Riyad Mahrez's freekick enough for City to come from behind and win.

The second leg was vintage City. Dias, Stones and Kyle Walker at the back were imperious, cult hero Oleksandr Zinchenko was sticking up for the frequently kicked Foden like his little brother, Fernandinho was fouling people like it was going out of fashion, De Bruyne was gliding around the pitch like he owned it and Mahrez got the goals to knock an emotionally immature PSG out.

City and PSG met again in the group stages the following year, with Lionel Messi joining Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in a star studded, yet ultimately overly flashy front three.

The trio to combine well to give the Parisians a 2-0 win in the first game and the lead at the Etihad in the reverse fixture, but Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling's goals from the bench gave City the win at the Etihad.

These matches are always entertaining for the neutral, and as they meet again there will be hopes from many that we see another entertaining spectacle.