Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the FIFA Club World Cup match.
Al-Ain conceded five goals against Juventus, and now face an even more formidable opponent in Manchester City. The only real question is how many goals the favourites will score – and how much energy they’ll choose to expend in doing so.
Manchester City
Manchester City recorded a controlled 2:0 win over Wydad Athletic Club. Of their three high-profile new signings, only Rayan Cherki featured, playing 60 minutes. The Frenchman was on the pitch for both goals. Phil Foden was instrumental, contributing a goal and an assist. The team finished the game with ten men after Rico Lewis received a red card in the 90th minute, though his suspension is not regarded as a significant setback. Changes to the starting eleven are still expected.
Al-Ain
However, such adjustments are unlikely to improve Al-Ain’s chances. Having suffered a heavy 0:5 defeat to a Juventus squad still in transition, there is little reason for optimism ahead of this encounter. On paper, their statistics may appear respectable — nine attempts on goal with five on target — but none of those efforts truly threatened. In contrast, Juventus created four clear-cut chances and had seven shots on target. The tie was effectively settled within the first hour.
Manchester City vs Al-Ain Prediction
These two sides last met 11 years ago in a friendly, with Manchester City winning 3:0. A similar scoreline appears likely again, making the handicap market worth consideration.
