Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich: Potential Match-Winners at the Etihad Stadium

Manchester City will have their work cut out for them against a free-scoring, yet solid, Bayern Munich side in their Champions League Group D clash. 

Last year’s treble winners have looked relatively comfortable in the Bundesliga this year. They currently sit joint top with Borussia Dortmund and have garnered six wins and a draw from their opening seven matches. 

Pep Guardiola’s side have found goals easy to come by, scoring 14 in the league this season and shipping three past CSKA Moscow on Matchday 1.

Manuel Pellegrini has yet to get the better of Guardiola in eight attempts.

As manager of Villarreal, Real Madrid and then Malaga, Pellegrini managed to win just one point against Guardiola’s Barcelona side.

Both managers will be counting on their match winners tomorrow. Here’s a look at who could effect proceedings at the Etihad Stadium.

Sergio Aguero

Aguero’s importance to his team was conspicuous during his absence in Manchester City’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend. 

The 2012 Premier League winners should have put the game beyond Villa’s reach in the first half but their wastefulness in front of goal proved costly as they let slip valuable points.

Munich have not only scored with ease this year, they have looked very comfortable at the back also.

The defending champions have conceded just twice in the Bundesliga and they will prove a difficult outfit to break down.

But with Aguero in the side, City are armed with a player that can trouble even the world’s best. The Argentine’s energy, movement and eye for goal could prove vital to his team’s chances.

Mario Mandzukic 

Mandzukic will take confidence from City’s defensive performance against Aston Villa.

Despite only four efforts on target, Villa netted three times and Mandzukic will pose an entirely different threat than a strike force that were without their two most clinical finishers—Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The Croatian striker, who scored in last year’s Champions League final, struggled slightly at the beginning of Guardiola’s reign but he has begun to adapt to the new system.

With 13 goals from seven games he will be one to watch tomorrow night.

Arjen Robben

Robben proved his doubters wrong when he led Munich to the treble last year, scoring 15 goals in 34 appearances, and the Dutch international has been a regular fixture on Guardiola’s team sheet.

With pace to burn, Robben is always a threat. Despite his obvious favouritism towards his left foot, the speedy winger has perfected the art of cutting in from the right wing and letting fly with his stronger side. 

The 29-year-old will be one to watch at the Etihad Stadium when the game gets tight.

Yaya Toure

Toure has been in magnificent form for Manchester City this year. 

Buoyed by the arrival of Fernandinho, Toure has excelled with freedom to move forward. The former Barcelona man has added goals to his game this season and he can thump them in from anywhere.

He has also impressed from dead ball situations lately and if Munich give away any frees around the area it will be Toure looking to punish them.

He has come up with the goods for City over the past six weeks and they will need him at his towering best if they’re to secure victory against Munich.