Manchester City vs Bayern Munich: Champions League match preview

A look ahead to tonight's game at the Etihad

Manchester City's Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini addresses a press conference at the Etihad Stadium following a team training session in Manchester, north west England, on November 24, 2014. (OLI SCARFF | AFP | Getty Images)

Manchester City will host Bayern Munich knowing that a win is vital if they want to stay in the Champions League this season.

Unbeaten after 12 matches, Bayern lead the Bundesliga with a seven point gap ahead of second place Wolfsburg, and have already qualified for the next round of the Champions League.

Defending English champions Manchester City are currently third in the Premier League but are again looking at an unsuccessful European campaign. Having collected only two points in four games, and with a goal difference of minus two, Manuel Pellegrini's team are bottom of Group E.

Pellegrini will look to build on the 2-1 victory his team had over Swansea last Saturday but will to be without the suspended Yaya Toure and Fernandinho, and the injured David Silva.

If City fail to progress into the next round again it could potentially cost Pellegrini his job. They suffered a devastating 2-1 loss against CSKA Moscow in the last match and will need to win against Bayern. A loss will City knocked out of the tournament while they will have to rely on Roma losing should they draw.

Bayern winger Arjen Robben, who is in the form of his life, will start as will Frank Ribery. Ribery announced last week that he has retired from international football so he can solely focus on club performances.

Guardiola is missing nine players, including World Cup winning captain Philipp Lahm. The German champions have a shortage of defenders but Guardiola can still call on the talents of Robben, Ribery, Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze.

Kick-off: Tuesday 19:45pm

PAST MEETINGS...

Bayern Munich 1 (Boateng) – 0 Man City Wed 17 Sep 2014

Bayern Munich 2 (Muller, Gotze) – 3 Man City (Silva, Kolarov, Milner) Tue 10 Dec 2013

Man City 1 (Negredo) -3 Bayern Munich (Ribery, Muller, Robben)

STATS...

For the third year in four, Bayern Munich and Manchester City are facing each other in the Champions league, Bayern leading 3-2 in victories

Manuel Pellegrini has a touchline ban

Their first meeting this season ended in 1-0 victory for Bayern through a goal by Boateng in the 90 minute

ODDS...

Man City to win: 3.5

Draw: 3.5

Bayen Munich to win: 2.05

TV: ITV1