Manchester City v Monaco Betting: Why backing goals at both ends looks a strong selection

Manchester City will be hoping to put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals when they welcome Monaco to the Etihad Stadium for Tuesday’s last 16 clash.

Pep Guardiola’s men were held to a 0-0 FA Cup draw by Championship side Huddersfield Town at the weekend but are 3/5 (1.60)favourites with bet365 to take control of this tie with a first-leg victory.

Having taken four points off Tottenham Hotspur en route to finishing top of their first round group, Les Rouges et Blancs are available at 9/2 (5.50)to come out on top for the second time on English soil this season.

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Both of the hosts’ last two Champions League fixtures have resulted in draws, and you can get odds of 16/5 (4.20)on them being held to another stalemate in this one.

While they may have been silently fairly pleased with the draw after qualifying in second place in their group, the Citizens will now be well aware of the dangers of underestimating French opposition following PSG’s 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona.

In fact, Leonardo Jardim’s team have actually been outperforming their Parisian counterparts in Ligue 1 this season, sitting top of the league and averaging just under three goals a match.

Having beaten Tottenham and Arsenal in their last two trips to England, Monaco will feel quietly confident of transferring their excellent domestic form to this European encounter.

With Guardiola’s side having kept just one clean sheet in their six Champions League matches so far this campaign, the free-scoring visiting attack will certainly fancy their chances of grabbing an all-important away goal.

Nevertheless, although they have found the net in all but one of their games in this season’s competition, Monaco have themselves kept just one clean sheet at the other end of the pitch.

Averaging two goals a game in their 17 home matches since they last failed to find the net, odds of 7/10 (1.70)are not to be missed on City ensuring they join the opposition on the scoresheet in an entertaining encounter.