Opta Big Match Stats: Man City to go card collecting

Pablo Zabaleta was carded for the fourth time in eight games against Man United in the derby

The Opta stats point to Man City seeing more yellow and red than CSKA Moscow in their Champions League clash...

Man City v CSKA Moscow
Wednesday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports 5

Match Odds: Man City 1.271/4, CSKA Moscow 14.013/1, The Draw 7.06/1

Man City haven't kept a clean sheet in their last ten Champions League matches

The Premier League champions are winless in five Champions League fixtures and fearful of a third group-stage exit in four years, with their wretched clean sheet-keeping record a major reason why. It is spreading to domestic business too, as the Citizens have managed just two in nine Premier League encounters, with a lack of continuity in defensive selection partially responsible for their struggles. All three of their meetings with CSKA Moscow, each of which occurred in the last 13 months, saw both teams net.

Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score @ 1.9110/11

Sergio Aguero has scored five times in three Champions League appearances against CSKA Moscow

One positive of Man City's unremarkable start to the season has been that they have kept Aguero fit throughout, and the Argentine certainly hasn't disappointed in that time even if several of his other usually high-achieving colleagues have. Aguero has fired 12 times in 13 Premier League or European outings, including nine times in the most recent seven and twice in two continental starts. His five-in-three strike rate against CSKA Moscow makes them his favourite Champions League opponents.

Recommended Bet: Back Aguero to score @ 1.758/11

CSKA Moscow have made the fewest fouls in the 2014/15 Champions League after three games (17)

Indeed, Opta note that CSKA Moscow have accrued only one yellow card in those three-and-a-half hours of football, indicating that Man City are great value at 3.211/5 in the bookings match bet market, in which yellows score ten points and reds count for 25 points. Manuel Pellegrini's men have played 16 times across all competitions in 2014/15 and, despite beginning the majority of those games as favourites, they accumulated the most booking points in a surprising ten of those, "beating" CSKA Moscow 10-0 a fortnight ago.

Recommended Bet: Back Man City to earn more booking points @ 3.211/5