CSKA Moscow vs Manchester City: Champions League match preview

A look ahead to this week's Champions League fixture at Arena Khimki

Manchester City train ahead of their game against CSKA (GETTY IMAGES)

Manchester City face CSKA Moscow in the first of two matches that manager Manuel Pellegrini will have sighted as must-wins if his team are to progress from Group E.

LATEST: CSKA Moscow vs Manchester City

Pellegrini’s side have picked up just one point from their opening two Champions League matches, and a pair of wins against the Russian side will give City strong hope of challenging Bayern Munich and Roma for progression to the knockout stages.

City completed the double over CSKA at this stage of last season’s competition, and the Argentinean understands the importance of repeat back-to-back wins against the group’s pointless side. The game in CSKA’s Arena Khimki stadium will be played behind closed doors after the Russian club was hit with a three-game stadium ban by UEFA for repeated racist abuse from their supporters.

KICK-OFF: Tuesday, 5pm

PAST TWO MEETINGS…

Manchester City 5 (Aguero 2, Negredo 3) CSKA Moscow 2 (Doumbia 2), Champions League, November 2013

CSKA Moscow 1 (Tosic) Manchester City 2 (Aguero 2), Champions League, October 2013

STATS…

Although CSKA are yet to pick up a point in the Champions League this season, they have won their last six domestic matches.

These sides have met just twice before, with Sergio Aguero scoring a brace in each fixture.

Since losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich in September, the Citizens have gone six games unbeaten in all competitions.

City have averaged 3.16 goals in those six games.

ODDS…

CSKA Moscow: 6.8

Manchester City to win: 1.58

Draw: 4.4

TV: Live on Sky Sports 5 (and Sky Sports 5 HD) at 5pm