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Pellegrini demands home improvements from City

Manuel Pellegrini has called on Manchester City to improve their UEFA Champions League home form as they prepare to face Sevilla without Sergio Agüero and David Silva.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini ©AFP/Getty Images
  • Manchester City and Sevilla, both on three Group D points, meet for the first time
  • City have won just five of their 15 UEFA Champions League home games
  • Hosts without star striker Sergio Agüero and playmaker David Silva
  • Sevilla have won only three of 11 games in all competitions this season
  • Jesús Navas set to face Sevilla side he spent over a decade with before joining City

Possible lineup
Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Toure; Navas, Sterling, De Bruyne; Bony.
Out: Agüero (hamstring) Silva (ankle), Clichy (ankle), Delph (hamstring)

Sevilla: Rico; Coke, Rami, Kolodziejczak, Trémoulinas; N'Zonzi, Krychowiak; Reyes, Iborra, Vitolo; Gameiro.
Out
: Carriço (hamstring), Kakuta (match fitness), Escudero (muscle)
Doubtful
: Llorente (adductors), Luismi (metatarsal)

Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City manager
I don't know the exact statistics but we must improve [our home form in the UEFA Champions League]. We are just thinking about this game, not the past. I hope we are just thinking about the game tomorrow. All the other things are statistics or history that will not help us to win or lose.

We would have expected Sevilla to be higher up the league [in Spain]. Every team has weaker moments in a season, and this is the Champions League; they will be full of hope, trying to get through. They have some great players. The did not win the last two editions of the Europa League for nothing.

Jesús Navas is set to face his former side
Jesús Navas is set to face his former side©Getty Images

I am sure every team wants to win Champions League but it is not easy. Our target is just to win every game we play.

Unai Emery, Sevilla coach
We are level for the moment, City and ourselves. I see tomorrow's game as being just as important as previous matches. City are a great team, a great squad – they have some great individuals. Whether one plays or not, they are still strong. We are aware of the dangers they can create but we also know we are capable of playing well – we can cause problems ourselves.

We are treating this game as a one-off. It's something we need to experience and enjoy, while also giving a good account of ourselves. We want to compete and show what we are capable of. We've done OK so far in this competition – we've got one defeat and one victory, so tomorrow is key for us. A draw could be a positive result for us.

We know what Jesús Navas means to Sevilla. We are very happy for him. We are happy he is getting game time. He is a lovely person.

Sergio Agüero's dream five-a-side team

Weekend results
Manchester City
 5-1 Bournemouth
(Sterling 7 29 45+3, Bony 11 89; Murray 22)
City remain top of the Premier League courtesy of Raheem Sterling's first-half hat-trick. Having set up Sterling's first, Wilifried Bony got the second after the ball was spilt by Adam Federici. Glenn Murray pulled one back but two more from Sterling made it 4-1 at half-time and Bony scored again after good work by Navas.

Eibar 1-1 Sevilla (Borja González 8; Gameiro 71)
Sevilla lost more ground on the leading teams and needed a 71st-minute Kevin Gameiro goal from a Vicentre Iborra pass to salvage a point at high-lfying Eibar, who took the lead early on through Borja González. Sevilla did finish strongly but had to settle for a point.

Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Manchester City: WWWLWL
Sevilla: DWLWLL

Reporter's view: Simon Hart (@UEFAcomSimonH)
"If you want to win titles you need to get on and do it with the players you have, rather than worrying about the ones who are not fit." These were Kevin De Bruyne's words after City's 5-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday – and the way he and his fellow attackers performed that afternoon must make Pellegrini hopeful that his side can get the better of Sevilla, even without Sergio Agüero and David Silva.

Did you know? 
City winger Navas spent ten years in the Sevilla first team; find out more in our extensive match background.

What's it like going to a game at Manchester City?

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