Champions League: All is not lost for beaten Man City

Arsenal were thumped 3-0 by Inter in 2003/04 but still qualified
Following Manchester City's opening game defeat, Christian Crowther flicks back through the record books to assess the potential damage...
Losing any game in the group stages of the Champions League can have a highly detrimental effect on qualification hopes, but just how damaging is giving up the points on the very first day? Let's look at how the previous five Premier League clubs to suffer defeat in their opener fared...
2000/01 - Barcelona 4-0 Leeds
It was all a giant learning curve for this young and exciting Leeds team under their softly spoken manager David O'Leary. With this Barca-style education taken firmly on board, Leeds actually went on to take four points off both Besiktas and Milan and hold Barcelona 1-1 at Elland Road, almost winning, to qualify at the expense of their opening day masters, the momentum carrying them all the way to the semi-finals.
2001/02 - Mallorca 1-0 Arsenal
Arsene Wengers's side made for bad tourists in Mallorca, Vicente Engonga inflicting an opening day defeat, before going on to lose their other two away games in the group. However, three wins at Highbury ensured the Gunners squeezed through by the skin of their teeth.
2002/03 - Dinamo Kiev 2-0 Newcastle
Champions League rookies Newcastle made a spectacular hash of their opening three fixtures in the competition, losing to Feyenoord and Juventus following this result. With all hopes seemingly extinguished, Bobby Robson's men somehow reached the second group stage after seeing off all three teams in the reverse fixtures.
2002/03 - Valencia 2-0 Liverpool
A golden period for Valencia would ultimately lead Liverpool to pinch their manager in search of similar success. On this occasion, the Spanish side proved to be the Merseysiders' misery inflicters, beating them home and away. Unlike all the other clubs on this list, Liverpool failed to recover though and consequently found themselves making an early exit.
2003/04 - Arsenal 0-3 Inter
In a season which would witness the birth of Arsenal's incredible Premier League invincibles, the Gunners greatest ever side were pummelled in their continental opener. Of course, the class of 2003/04 were not to be denied their graduation though and returned the favour by embarrassing Inter 5-1 in the San Siro on their way to top spot.
On that evidence, it would seems that another early elimination is far from inevitable for Manchester City, however, if you think that they will head the same way as Liverpool, you can always try laying them to qualify at around 1.51/2.
Roberto Mancini will not enjoy the fact that his side are the first English club to lose their opener in nine seasons, but fans can take heart from Arsenal and Leeds, who went on to qualify after losing away to Spanish teams too! They can be backed at 4.77/2 to top the group.