Wednesday’s action in the Champions League will complete the halfway-stage of the group stages with England’s remaining contingent so far enduring contrasting fortunes in Europe’s elite competition.
Arsenal were handed what looked one of the easier draws in the groups this year and so far the Gunners have followed the script with two wins out of two to sit pretty at the top of Group A.
Arsene Wenger’s men can take a massive step towards the knockout stages with victory on Wednesday and they are priced at Even money to collect the three points, while Schalke are on offer at 14/5 with the draw at 5/2.
It is difficult to argue with the fact that the Gunners are favourites, given their rich history in the competition as well as the fact that they have put together a 16-match unbeaten streak at home in the Champions League since a 3-1 defeat against Manchester United in the semi-finals in 2009.
However, all is perhaps not so rosy in the Gunners camp with an injury list robbing them of a number of key players while they go into the game on the back of a surprise 1-0 reverse at Norwich. Admittedly that result was away but it is now left them 10 points behind Chelsea in the Premier League and the priority could be the domestic clash with QPR at the weekend.
Schalke have made an encouraging start to the season, lying third in the Bundesliga and, along with leaders Bayern Munich, have yet to be beaten on the road this season, which includes a win at champions Borussia Dortmund last Saturday.
The Royal Blues have made a good start to Group A as well, unbeaten after two games, and continue that run with a share of the spoils on Wednesday.
Manchester City were done no favours by the draw last term in their first season in Europe’s elite competition but have arguably faired worse in their second. The English champions have been drawn against their Spanish, German and Dutch counterparts and have picked up just one point from their opening two games.
Roberto Mancini’s men surrendered two late goals at the Bernabeu to ultimately slip to defeat but got one of their own against Dortmund to at least get up and running. That draw at the Etihad could be seen as a disappointing result but they now have the chance to their campaign up and running with back to back games against the weakest team in the group.
City have been installed as the 8/11 favourites in the match betting to pick up their first win in the competition in Amsterdam, with Ajax priced up at 4/1 and the draw at 11/4 – and it is not hard to see why.
City have won their last two away games with the latest coming despite the fact that they had been reduced to 10 men in the first half, while they also kept their first clean sheet of the season two weeks ago against Sunderland.
Ajax have been held on their last two occasions in the Eredivisie while they got thrashed 4-1 by Real Madrid at the Amsterdam Arena in matchday two. David Silva might be a notable absentee for the Citizens but they have far too much ammunition to earn a valuable three points.
Elsewhere and Porto can tighten their grip on Group A with victory over Dynamo Kiev, while big-spending Paris Saint Germain look good to return to winning way at Dinamo Zagreb.
Zenit St Petersburg have failed to deliver in the tournament so far and are perhaps too short to beat fellow Group C strugglers Anderlecht, although Malaga can put one foot in the knockout stages with victory over an out-of-sorts AC Milan side at 11/10, and Real Madrid have all the necessary tools to take care of business in Germany and beat Borussia Dortmund at 11/10.
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