Manchester City will look to make it two wins from two at the Club World Cup when they take on Group G rivals Al Ain.
Manchester City won their opening Club World Cup game 2-0, seeing off Moroccan outfit Wydad with a routine display.
The Premier League side are heavy favourites to make it two wins from two when they meet Al Ain of the UAE in their second Group G contest during the early hours of Monday morning. Their opponents lost 5-0 to Juventus on Wednesday.
Ahead of City’s game in Atlanta, we’ve picked out a 22/1 bet builder for the contest.
Manchester City v Al Ain Tips
- Jeremy Doku to score at any time @ 21/10
- Oscar Bobb to score at any time @ 19/20
- Both teams to score @ 2/1
- Over 8.5 total corners @ 4/11
Pays out at 22/1
Doku can impress again
There’s no doubting Jeremy Doku’s talent, but the Belgian winger isn’t the most consistent player. However, he’s starting to string together some strong displays, having excelled for Belgium in the recent international break, he also scored City’s second against Wydad, while he has the talent to trouble Al Ain.
The numbers suggest Al Ain were unfortunate to lose their opener so heavily, as Juventus scored five times from just 1.4 Expected Goals. However, the gulf in quality was still clear between the two sides.
Doku’s dribbling ability and close control should make him a nightmare for Al Ain, so he is backed to score anytime.
Leg 1: Jeremy Doku to score at any time @ 21/10
Bobb can make up for lost time
Man City came in for criticism over their lack of transfer activity last summer, but it’s worth remembering that Oscar Bobb was in line for a big role before picking up a season-ending injury.
The winger was expected to break into the City side, so he’s now making up for lost time after returning to fitness.
Bobb played 30 minutes off the bench against Wydad, but he could take Savinho’s starting role in this clash. The Norway winger can excel on the right-hand side, given how impressive Francisco Conceicao was for Juve in the same position.
The Portuguese scored in each half for Juve, so back Al Ain to struggle in similar fashion with Bobb, as he looks to make his mark amid increased competition for places.
Leg 2: Oscar Bobb to score at any time @ 19/20
Questions over City’s defence
City weren’t entirely convincing against Wydad, they conceded 12 shots and they did have one troubling moment when Victor Reis slipped up and let the Moroccan side in.
Wydad lacked a presence in the final third, but the same can’t be said for Al Ain. Forward Kodjo Laba had the second-highest xG generated in their clash with Juve. The forward had three shots at goal, while his strike partner Soufiane Rahimi also had a couple of chances.
Al Ain had a goal ruled out for a narrow offside, so they’re worth backing to trouble a likely weakened City defence.
Leg 3: Both teams to score @ 2/1
Set pieces are key for Al Ain
Al Ain had three corners against Juventus and they’ll know set pieces will be vital if they are to cause problems for City.
The Citizens had nine corners of their own against Wydad, while also conceding four. As a result, over 8.5 combined corners completes our 22/1 bet builder.
Leg 4: Over 8.5 total corners @ 4/11
