Football Tips: Our 3 best bets for Man City v RB Leipzig include a 13/1 shot

Our tipster Shane O'Brien sets you up for a big night under the lights at The Etihad.

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Man City find themselves in the toughest group in the Champions League on paper, but they should have little problem overcoming RB Leipzig and Club Bruges. Leipzig are not the same team that knocked Manchester United out of the group stages last season and even then, they qualified due to United’s mistakes rather than their own good performances.

NEW TO PADDY POWER?

The German runners-up have lost their centre-half partnership of Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate to Bayern Munich and Liverpool respectively, while Marcel Sabitzer and coach Julian Nagelsmann have also swapped Leipzig for Munich. These four key losses have translated into poor early-season performances, with Leipzig losing three of their opening four Bundesliga games.

PepGuardiolaManCityAug21

Wednesday 8pm: Manchester City v RB Leipzig
BT Sport 3

Value Bet: Man City (-2)

City, on the other hand, have responded well to their opening-day defeat to Spurs, winning three games on the bounce without conceding a goal. City have scored an impressive 11 goals in that three-game spell and utterly dominated Leicester for large parts of Saturday’s game, despite only winning 1-0.

They are well poised to emulate neighbours Manchester United by recording a comprehensive home victory over RB Leipzig in the Champions League group stages. Your best-value play here is Man City (-2) on the alternative handicap.

Safe Bet: Raheem Sterling to score anytime

This is a game tailor-made for Raheem Sterling. The English winger has not started a Premier League game since a disappointing performance against Spurs on the opening day of the season and he has some work to do to reclaim the left-wing berth from £100 million signing Jack Grealish.

Such a low-key start to the season must be a disappointment for Sterling after a stellar summer at Euro 2020, but he will most likely get an opportunity from the start on Wednesday with Pep Guardiola likely to rotate his squad. Sterling flourishes in the Champions League group stages, especially in comfortable home wins.

He has scored 16 of his 21 career Champions League goals at this stage of the season, while 16 of his Champions League goals have also come at the Etihad Stadium. He will get plenty of opportunities in a game that City will dominate and should give Guardiola a selection headache for Saturday’s league fixture with Southampton as Sterling Scores Anytime.

Long Shot: Manchester City to win 4-0

City have made the Champions League group stages their playground under Pep Guardiola, especially in recent seasons. The Premier League champions have scored three or more goals in 14 of their 30 group stage games under Guardiola, while they have won 12 of their 15 home games, scoring 39 goals in the process.

City have only lost one home group stage game since Guardiola took over and are unlikely to taste defeat for a second time when Leipzig come to town on Wednesday. Jesse Marsch’s side were thumped 4-1 at home against Bayern Munich on Saturday and were cut apart at will by the perennial German champions.

City will make similarly light work of Leipzig at the Etihad and should stroll to a comprehensive victory to make the perfect start in their latest quest for European glory. Your Long Shot is City to win 4-0.

Bet bets for Man City v RB Leipzig

Value Play: Man City (-2)
Safest Bet: Raheem Sterling to Score Anytime
Long Shot: Man City to Win 4-0

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

READ MORE

The latest football odds are on PaddyPower.com right now

The Paddy Power Guide To Responsible Gambling – Everything You Need To Know