Manchester City's hopes of topping Champions League Group D were dealt a blow as Mario Mandzukic's first-half strike handed Juventus a 1-0 victory in Turin.

Already through but needing a victory to secure top spot and avoid the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the last 16, City started well against the Serie A champions with Fernandinho wasting a glorious chance in the 16th minute.

It proved to be costly as Mandzukic guided Alex Sandro's inch-perfect cross past Joe Hart just three minutes later to book Juve their place in the knockout stage and move into top spot in the group with one round of fixtures still to play.

City, who saw Joe Hart come off injured with nine minutes remaining, had a fine chance to level things up late on but substitute Raheem Sterling could not find the target from close range.

Victory takes Juventus two points clear of City, who will need Massimiliano Allegri's side to slip up away at Sevilla on Matchday Six if they are to have any chance of qualifying for the last 16 as group winners.

Manuel Pellegrini's side, who were again without captain Vincent Kompany and David Silva, showed plenty of promise in the early stages as Fernandinho drove wide after Kevin De Bruyne's dangerous low ball fell to him on the edge of the area.

However, Juventus were showing plenty of invention of their own with Claudio Marchisio finding Mandzukic in space, but the Croatia international could not direct his header on target.

Despite that effort it was the visitors who were growing in confidence as the half progressed and they should have taken the lead in the 16th minute when De Bruyne's cross towards Yaya Toure fell to Fernandinho, but the Brazilian midfielder blazed the ball over the bar from eight yards.

It proved to be a costly miss as Juventus went up the other end and when the impressive Sandro found Mandzukic with an accurate cross, the striker guided the ball past Hart and into the back of the net.

Mandzukic thought he had a second nine minutes later but the 29-year-old's powerful effort was kept out by a brilliant one-handed save from Hart, who also denied Stephan Lichtsteiner in the 42nd minute.

City were almost gifted an equaliser on the stroke of half-time as Sergio Aguero seized on a Marchisio back-pass but Gianluigi Buffon was quickly off his line to thwart the danger.

The veteran Italian goalkeeper came to Juve's rescue again early in the second half when he pushed Fernando's header onto the post, before claiming the loose ball with Toure poised to capitalise.

With Mandzukic struggling with a knock Allegri sent for Alvaro Morata in the 55th minute and he was immediately into the action, racing clear to lob the ball over Hart. The ball looked to be bouncing harmlessly wide before Stefano Sturaro got a toe to it only to see his effort strike the post.

City had a half-chance in the 67th minute when De Bruyne found Aguero at the far post but the Argentine could not connect with a volley.

Morata was proving a real handful for City and again he breached the visiting defence only to be denied by a fine save from Hart. The stop could have come at a real cost for Pellegrini and his side, though, as moments later the England goalkeeper left the field holding the top of his leg and was replaced by Willy Caballero.

There was still time for one final chance for the visitors and it fell to Aguero's replacement Sterling, who timed his run perfectly to race onto De Bruyne's cross but missed the target from just five yards out.

City, who host Borussia Monchengladbach at the Etihad Stadium on December 8, fought to the end with Toure going close with a long-range drive but it was not to be as Juventus stole a march in the group.