Manchester City v PSG: David Silva set to return for Champions League quarter-final second leg

Image: David Silva will return against Paris Saint-Germain after being rested for Saturday's win over West Brom

David Silva is set to return to Manchester City’s starting line-up for their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

Silva was left out of Saturday's 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion due to a long-standing ankle complaint, but with Raheem Sterling still absent with a groin injury and Samir Nasri ineligible, the Spain international will be recalled to face the French champions.

City and PSG are currently locked at 2-2 after an entertaining and open first leg at the Parc des Princes.

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini confirms captain Vincent Kompany will not face PSG

City are bidding to reach their first Champions League semi-final, while PSG are hoping to reach the last four for only the second time.

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City captain Vincent Kompany has been ruled out by manager Manuel Pellegrini with a calf injury he sustained against Dynamo Kiev in the last round. He trained on Monday morning but Pellegrini said he was "not 100 per cent".

Kompany is set to be replaced in the starting line-up by Nicolas Otamendi, who suffered an ankle injury against West Brom and missed Monday's training but was declared fit to play by his manager.

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Image: Sergio Aguero has recovered from a knock he sustained against West Brom

Sergio Aguero also suffered a knock - to his Achilles tendon - against West Brom, but like Otamendi, he is expected to start.

PSG are without suspended duo Blaise Matuidi and David Luiz, while, Marco Verratti needs a "miracle" to be fit for the clash, says manager Laurent Blanc.

Verratti has not played since injuring his groin during PSG's 4-1 Ligue 1 win at home to Reims on February 20.

Image: PSG are set to welcome back Marco Verratti

Opta stats

The omens for City look good given that 82 per cent of teams who drew 2-2 away in the first leg of Champions League ties progressed to the next round.

They can also take heart from the fact that PSG have won only one of their past seven away games against English opposition and have been knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage in each of the past three years.

Image: Kevin De Bruyne scored the opener in the 2-2 first-leg draw in Paris

However, there are also factors for City to worry about. PSG have scored two goals or more in all of their past five Champions League games and City have kept only one clean sheet in their nine Champions League games so far this season, so Pellegrini's team could finding themselves needing to score at least twice.

Lucky, then, that Aguero is fit to start, because the Argentine striker has netted in 16 goals in his past 19 Champions League starts.

But City don't rely solely on Aguero for goals, as their last seven in the Champions League have been scored by seven different players.

At the other end, the man City need to keep closest tabs on is predictably Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has scored in each of his past five Champions League games and has either scored or assisted six of PSG's last eight Champions League goals.

Betting

Manchester City are Sky Bet's 8/11 favourites to reach the Champions League semi-finals, although it is PSG who are marginally shorter odds to win on the night at 7/5. Another draw is rated a 13/5 chance, with a repeat of the first-leg 2-2 scoreline an subsequent extra-time given a 10/1 chance.

Aguero heads the first goalscorer betting at 7/2 closely followed by Ibrahimovic at 4/1, with the strike duo 7/2 to both find the net. Fresh from successfully tipping up Jamie Vardy to score first in a 2-0 Leicester victory over Sunderland at 22/1, Phil Thompson has picked Aguero to open the scoring in a 2-1 City win at 25/1 in his Sky Bet tips.

Image: Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored in all of his past five Champions League matches

Charlie Nicolas' prediction

"The hard part for City is finding a balance of attacking as they know a 0-0 or 1-1 draw is enough to see them through, especially as it goes against their instincts to sit back.

"They've got all of their attacking players fit now, but it's at the back where their troubles are, with Vincent Kompany ruled out and Joe Hart having another bad game at the weekend.

"It was such a fabulous result in the first leg and there's reasons for City to believe because they know the vulnerabilities of PSG, but I'm afraid I see the visitors scoring at least once and going through, with Edinson Cavani getting the winner."

Charlie predicts: 1-2 and Cavani to score last (50/1 with Sky Bet)

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