Champions League action returns this week and with the group stages reaching a climax, the top two clubs in England will be looking to confirm their places in the knockout stages on Tuesday.

Manchester City made a slow start to what was seen as the group of death but have now been cut into 5/1 to win Group A after back-to-back wins over whipping boys Villarreal.

The Premier League big spenders have dominated domestically so far, opening up a five-point lead in the table, but have failed to transfer that free-scoring form onto the European stage.

The match betting suggests City will fight Bayern Munich for top honours in the group in the final round of matches, with Roberto Mancini’s men priced at 21/20 to win in 90 minutes.

However, Napoli have a tremendous record at the Stadio San Paolo in European competition and look the value bet at 11/4 to make home advantage count, while the draw is on offer at 12/5.

Beating Villarreal has not been a problem for any of the other three sides so far so two wins on the bounce is little to write home about for City, especially as they needed an injury-time winner to secure a win at the Etihad in the first of those meetings.

Although flying high in the Premier League, Roberto Mancini’s men were well-beaten by Bayern Munich in September – and are still dealing with the fallout to a degree in the sense that Carlos Tevez has gone AWOL – while the Citizens were held by Napoli in Manchester in the opening game of the group.

The Azzurri’s counter-attacking style posed plenty of problems for City that day and with the FA Cup holders facing group leaders Bayern in the final round of matches, they are likely to be going for the win rather than relying on getting something out of their finale to make the knockout stages.

That could leave their defence, which has struggled to keep clean sheets, exposed again while Walter Mazzarri’s men have already proved they are no easy-beats having held Bayern in Italy to a 1-1 draw.

Napoli, who beat Villarreal 2-0 in their home opener, are actually unbeaten in 10 home matches since returning to European competitions in 2008 after 13 years, while Tony Kroos’s early strike for Bayern ended a run of 573 minutes in without conceding a goal at home in Europe.

City have yet to win away against a Serie A side, with their last three matches all ending 1-1, but this is not your average side and Mancini has of course got a wealth of options at his disposal.

Still given Napoli’s home record it is hard to see value in City’s price so the Italians at 11/4 offers plenty of value, with the draw next best at 12/5.

Group C is perhaps a lot tighter than many people had envisioned with Manchester United and Benfica topping the group on eight points, while there is a distinct possibility that Basel could make it three teams on 11 points come the end of the group stage.

These two played out a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture in the opening round of matches with Benfica having the best of the game, but United are 8/15 favourites in the match betting to make home advantage count.

The 2011 beaten finalists do have a tremendous home record in the competition, having tasted defeat just once in their last 34 matches, with Benfica available at 6/1 to upset that run and the odds, while the draw is on offer at 3/1.

United have never lost at home to Portuguese opposition either but there has been a change in attitude in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side since they suffered the embarrassing 6-1 defeat at home to arch rivals City.

The defence had been living a charmed life up to that point – Basel were unlucky to only get a point after scoring three at Old Trafford – and the City humiliation has changed the thinking at the club.

United have not conceded a goal in the five matches since the derby nightmare so do not expect a gung-ho approach, particularly with Benfica yet to taste defeat on their travels in Europe this season.

United have been grinding out narrow wins without impressing anyone other than for the fact that they are winning without playing well, but Benfica are perhaps not in the best nick either – having been held by Basel at home last time out.

The Portuguese giants have been relying heavily on the goal-scoring talents of Rodrigo so if United can keep him quiet, another narrow win is on the cards.

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