Manchester City vs Schalke preview: City aim to reach Champions League quarter-finals

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City still have "work to do" when they face Schalke in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday.

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City are in a strong position after staging a late comeback to win a dramatic match 3-2 in Germany.

That result means Schalke need to score at least twice at the Etihad to advance to the quarter-finals, but they did lead the first leg 2-1 before City fought back to win.

"What happened in the first game can happen in the second one," said Guardiola. "So that's why it doesn't change too much what we have to do. We still have work to do.

"Anything can happen in this competition. We must make incredible efforts in epic situations to go through. We'll try and play a perfect game and do what we need to do to go through."

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Schalke have been in poor form recently, losing five of their last six matches, including the defeat to City.

They were beaten 4-2 by Werder Bremen on Friday and are 14th in the Bundesliga, four points above the relegation play-off place.

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Team news

Manchester City are without suspended pair Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho.

Both players received cards in the first meeting, although Fernandinho (groin) is injured in any case. Aymeric Laporte, who was on the bench against Watford at the weekend, could return after a hamstring injury.

Another defender John Stones (groin) will be assessed, but playmaker Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring) and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo (Achilles) are out.

Daniel Caliguiri (ankle) and Omar Mascarel (groin) are out for Schalke, with Alessandro Schopf out for the season.

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Opta stats

• Of the previous 27 occasions of a side scoring 3+ goals away from home in the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie, all have gone on to progress, including six after winning 3-2.
• Manchester City have won each of their last three meetings with FC Schalke 04 in European competition, including a 5-1 win in the 1969-70 Cup Winners' Cup semi-final in their only previous home match against the German club.
• Manchester City have only lost one of their 10 previous home meetings with German opponents in all European competitions (W7 D2), a 1-3 reverse in the 2013-14 Champions League group stages against Bayern Munich.
• Schalke have only won one of their last nine Champions League matches in the knockout stages (D1 L7), although this was their last such away match at Real Madrid in the 2014-15 competition (4-3).
• Manchester City have lost both of their last two knockout matches in the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium, both 1-2 defeats to FC Basel in March 2018 and Liverpool in April 2018.
• Man City boss Pep Guardiola has never lost to Schalke as a manager in seven previous clashes in all competitions, winning five and drawing two.

Charlie's prediction

It was an awkward game for them the first game, and big teams responds and that is what it is all about. How did that happen with 10 men? This is what they do. Sterling hit a hat-trick at the weekend and they have done the business again - they have the winning mentality at the moment. One more goal and it is more or less done, and then Schalke have to take the risk, but they won't do it in the first 20 minutes. Everyone is clambering over Van Dijk for Player of the Year, but Sterling's finishing and all-round game has improved. There is a lot he has proven to people, how good can this kid get? Sterling will be close to him, so I expect him to be the match-winner again. He may rest Aguero for the league games, but I have a feeling sterling will be the match-winner.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-0, Sterling to score double (17/1 with Sky Bet)

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