Monday Night Football returns to the Bet365 Stadium at the end of this footballing weekend and the champions-elect are in town, looking to bring the title ever closer to the Etihad. Stoke are struggling at the other end of the table, a point adrift of safety in the relegation zone. A win would take them out but against one of Europe’s strongest teams, they have very little chance.

STATS

• Stoke have had a shocking season and with them being second bottom of the Premier League table, the odds are against them to escape. They haven’t won a single one of their last five games but did pick up two decent away draws against Leicester and Southampton. Their last win came at home as they beat Huddersfield 2-0 midway through January. They’ve only scored three goals in their last five games which will need to improve if they want to stay in the top-flight.
• Man City have been untouchable in the league this season and after their slight blip against Liverpool, they’re back to their formidable form. They have won five of their last six league games, a disappointing 1-1 draw with Burnley might have shown a weakness but they have had other competitions to worry about. A Carabao Cup trophy, a place in the Champions League quarter-final and Premier League top spot have all been juggled to perfection by Pep Guardiola.
• Xherdan Shaqiri has been Stoke’s stand-out player this season and if they are to go down, he will undoubtedly leave. The Swiss forward is their leading scorer in the league with seven goals.
• Sergio Aguero has been brilliant this season, especially because he has had a few injury problems. He is third in the running for the Golden Boot with 21 goals while Raheem Sterling is a place below him with 15.

HEAD TO HEAD

As they have against most teams, Man City have dominated Stoke in their recent meetings. Monday’s hosts have won just twice in the last 17 meetings with the league leaders and they were taken apart in the last one in October. They were beaten 7-2 at the Etihad in one of Guardiola’s textbook demolitions with six different Man City scorers. Stoke did actually beat them just over three years ago at the Bet365 thanks to a first-half Marko Arnautovic brace. The Citizens have only scored more than one goal once away at Stoke in the Premier League era.

STOKE NEWS

A very unlikely victory for Stoke would take them out of the drop zone but without the man who scored for them at the Etihad in October, Mame Biram Diouf, they will be even less confident.

Latest matches: Stoke City

03.03.2018	Prem	Southampton FC	Stoke City	0:0	D
24.02.2018	Prem	Leicester City	Stoke City	1:1	D
10.02.2018	Prem	Stoke City	Brighton & Hove Albion FC	1:1	D
03.02.2018	Prem	Bournemouth AFC	Stoke City	2:1	L
31.01.2018	Prem	Stoke City	Watford FC	0:0	D

MAN CITY NEWS

After a full weekend of Premier League action, City’s lead at the top was cut to 13 points, they’ll be looking to make it 16 on Monday evening. Aguero is injured while Fabian Delph, Fernandinho and Sterling are all in for fitness tests, it will be a surprise if they are all risked.

Latest matches: Manchester City

07.03.2018	UEFA	Manchester City	FC Basel	1:2	L
04.03.2018	Prem	Manchester City	Chelsea FC	1:0	W
01.03.2018	Prem	Arsenal FC	Manchester City	0:3	W
25.02.2018	EFL	Manchester City	Arsenal FC	3:0	W
19.02.2018	FA C	Wigan Athletic	Manchester City	1:0	L

SUMMARY

It doesn’t take a genius to say that Manchester City are huge favourites for their trip slightly south to Stoke. An early goal or two could make it very ugly for Stoke on Monday night, their only hope of a result will be to hang on to a goalless draw and maybe hit the visitors on the break.