The Late Show
Raheem Sterling now leads City’s scoring charts with 11 goals, but there are some interesting facts behind the figures.
No less than six of the 11 goals have been scored in the last 10 minutes of the game - including last night’s winner against Feyenoord - while only two have been scored in the first-half. So, what does this mean?
Are Sterling’s fresher legs punishing tiring defenders? It seems more than likely that this is playing a part, but it could also be his development as a player under Pep Guardiola.
His timing and movement have been excellent - he knows where to be and what to do - and no doubt all the hard work he has put in on the training ground is paying dividends, too.
Sterling is quick to get in the box and seems to have a licence to drift into the centre, particularly when only one of Gabriel Jesus or Sergio Aguero are playing.
Whatever the reason, 11 goals from 12 starts makes him the most prolific winger in the Premier League at present - quite an accolade.
Read last night’s match report
Champions League picture clearer?
Not really!
Tonight’s round of games will make the picture clearer but at least the Blues know it will only be a runner-up of another group who can be our opponents.
No team from the same country can face each other in the next round, so any English club finishing second are out of the picture - both Spurs and Manchester United will top their groups, but Chelsea and Liverpool could yet finish runners-up.
If they do, it will narrow the list of potential opposition down by two plus City can’t face a side from Group F - so we couldn’t face Shakhtar or Napoli depending on who qualifies.
If the above scenarios do happen, that could leave just five teams from the following: CSKA or Basel/Bayern Munich or PSG/ Roma or Atletico Madrid/Juventus or Barcelona/Sevilla or Spartak Moscow/RB Leipzig or Porto - or Real Madrid!
Pep quite rightly says it doesn’t matter who the Blues face, but it’s a fact that the Round of 16 has rarely included so many powerhouses.
The quarter-finals, should the Blues reach them, are an open draw so City could face English opposition at the stage, or a previous group opponent.
Tonight’s results will clear the waters more and the draw in December should be fascinating.
17!
Count them - 17 wins in succession - it’s nothing short of incredible.
The Blues have been relentless all season but to chalk up 17 on the bounce deserves making a fuss about. The records have been tumbling all season and are likely to continue to do so, but City have proved that even in the scrappiest of games, we can still emerge victorious.
Wolves and Feyenoord both came close to pulling off a surprise win but it’s only natural that the Blues can’t be firing on all cylinders for every game.
Huddersfield are up next, followed by Southampton and West Ham - none of those sides will relish facing the form team of European football, but as Wolves and Feyenoord have proved, no games are easy in any league or competition.
