Manchester City travel to Turin to face Juventus knowing that victory will see the Blues secure top spot in Group D with a game to spare.

However, the Bianconieri, who beat City earlier in the campaign, can qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League with a win over the Premier League side.

Juventus

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While Massimiliano Allegri's side are second in the group and yet to secure their place in the knockout stage, last season's runners-up are one of only five clubs to remain unbeaten at this stage in the competition.

Some might find that statistic hard to believe given Juve's start to the Serie A season, which saw them win just one of their first six matches.

However, the Old Lady began to regain their confidence and have only lost one of their last seven domestic matches, although they remain nine points behind leaders Inter Milan.

Juventus prepared for the visit of City to Turin with a 1-0 victory over Sinisa Mihajlovic's AC Milan, thanks to Paulo Dybala's 65th-minute winner. Allegri described the result as a "step in the right direction" for his team.

However, that triumph came at a cost, with Hernanes forced off with a thigh injury and facing three weeks on the sidelines. His absence could place a greater burden on Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio to run Juve's midfield against the Premier League giants.

Wins against City and Sevilla in their first two group games looked to have put Juventus well on their way to the knockout stages, but consecutive draws against Borussia Monchengladbach means that Allegri's men still need a result to qualify.

Recent form: WWDD
Recent form (all competitions): DWLWWW

Manchester City

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Blues manager Manuel Pellegrini cut a dismayed figure when speaking to the media after his side's thumping home defeat at the hands of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

The Chilean described the 4-1 reverse as a "fake game" and claimed that he could not understand how his team could produce a poor performance after preparing so well in the build-up to the match.

However, part of the explanation for their brittle defensive display may lie in Bacary Sagna's suggestion that neither he nor France international teammate Eliaquim Mangala were in the right frame of mind to play after the events of the previous weekend in Paris, where gunmen and suicide bombers launched coordinated attacks across the City.

Nevertheless, the Citizens will look to rediscover the form which took them to the top of the Premier League, including a run of nine games without defeat and seven wins.

City did at least welcome back Sergio Aguero against Liverpool, and the international forward showed little sign of having lost his goalscoring touch when he pulled one back before half time on Saturday.

Their place in the last 16 has already been secured after first-half goals from Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho and Wilfried Bony helped them to a 3-1 away win at Sevilla on matchday four.

Recent form: LWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWDWDL

Team News

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As mentioned, the Italian champions will be without Hernanes for at least three weeks, although the Brazilian was suspended in any case after picking up a red card against Borussia.

Sami Khedira's thigh problem means that the German World Cup winner will be missing from the Bianconieri's midfield, while Argentine Roberto Pereyra is also unavailable.

Patrice Evra (ankle) and Martin Caceres (thigh) are doubtful for the game in Turin.

Meanwhile, the Citizens are facing their own injury headaches in midfield, with Samir Nasri out until February at the earliest after undergoing an operation on his hamstring.

Bony (hamstring) has been out of action since the goalless draw at Aston Villa and David Silva is still continuing his return to full fitness. The Spanish international is unlikely to feature with City already through.

Similarly, the Manchester outfit are not expected to field Vincent Kompany after he sat out the defeat to Liverpool.

Juventus possible starting lineup:
Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, Sandro; Sturaro, Marchisio, Pogba, Cuadrado; Morata, Dybala

Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Hart; Zabaleta, Demichelis, Otamendi, Kolarov; Toure, Fernando; Navas, De Bruyne, Sterling; Aguero

Head To Head

Of the five previous encounters, City have beaten Juve only once, with a familiar face in Brian Kidd scoring the only goal during the first leg of their UEFA Cup first-round tie at Maine Road in 1976.

The Bianconieri duly won the return fixture to progress, a year before they would go on to lift the trophy.

Both teams played out 1-1 draws in the group phase of the 2010-11 Europa League before the most recent meeting, which saw the Old Lady win 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, courtesy of late goals from Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata.

We say: Juventus 1-1 Manchester City

Despite the manner of their defeat at the weekend, City might still fancy themselves to win and with Aguero available, Pellegrini's side stand a better chance of victory. However, a draw would not hurt the Blues, who have already qualified, and with Juve only needing a point it would not be a surprise if the game finishes level.

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