Oleksandr Zinchenko, Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus all come into the side for the Blues’ latest Group F clash with the Ukrainan champions and what is the third of four consecutive home games at the Etihad.
If City win tonight and Hoffenheim lose their clash with Lyon, the Blues wil be assured of a place in the last-16.
Team:
Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva (c), Bernardo, Sterling, Mahrez, Jesus
Subs: Muric, Danilo, Gundogan, Delph, Otamendi, Aguero, Sane
Probable formation:
City look likely to adopt a 4-1-4-1 formation for tonight’s clash with keeper Ederson shielded by a back four of Kyle Walker, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
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Fernandinho will provide the midfield anchor shield with skipper David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling all operating ahead of him.
Brazilian international Jesus is entrusted with the key role upfront.
Shakhtar team:
Pyatov, Matviyenko, Krivtsov, Rakitskiy, dos Santos, Stepanenko, Taison, Moraes, Maycon, Bolbat, Kovalenko
Last time we met:
Stats and milestones:
City have won two of their three Champions League encounters with Shakhtar Donetsk, the most recent encounter being our 3-0 win in the Ukraine last month.
Shakhtar have never won an away European match in England in seven attempts (W0 D1 L6) - in their most recent game here, they lost 0-2 to City in September 2017.
Since his Champions League debut for City in September 2011, only striker Sergio Aguero (33) has been involved in more goals for the club than David Silva (15, seven goals, eight assists).
Shakhtar have lost seven of their last nine away Champions League matches (W1 D1), though they avoided defeat in their last away game at Lyon, drawing 2-2.
Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho was a Shakhtar player between 2005 and 2013 when he left for City, scoring 31 goals in 183 league outings.
Oleksandr Zinchenko is a former Shakhtar youth player, though he never made a senior appearance
