Manchester City host Paris Saint-Germain in a heavyweight Champions League showdown Wednesday, looking to carry their impressive domestic form into Europe against the reigning champions.
City head into the clash at the Etihad Stadium on the back of a commanding 3-0 victory over 10-man Liverpool at Anfield, a result that preserved their perfect Premier League record after six matches and strengthened their position at the top of the table.
The win was particularly satisfying for City, who silenced the home crowd with a composed performance amid continued scrutiny over their alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations.
The club is awaiting the verdict of its appeal, but the uncertainty surrounding the case did little to distract the players from their task on Merseyside.
Manager Enzo Maresca has made an outstanding start to life in charge, winning all eight of his matches across competitions and overseeing an attack that has scored 23 goals at an average of 2.87 per game.
City will now seek a ninth consecutive victory, a milestone they have not reached at the start of a season since Pep Guardiola's first campaign in charge in 2016-17. The former manager, whose decade-long reign ended last season, is also expected to attend his first match at the Etihad since leaving the club.
With momentum on their side, City can draw confidence from their formidable home record in Europe. They have lost just one of their last 25 home matches in the Champions League group stage or League Phase, winning 21 and drawing three.
The English side opened their European campaign with a 2-0 victory over Porto five weeks ago, but Wednesday's test will be considerably tougher against a PSG side that has established itself among the continent's leading forces.
The clubs last met in the 2024-25 Champions League League Phase, when PSG claimed a 4-2 home victory. City have also lost two of their last three meetings with the French champions, underlining the challenge awaiting Maresca's side.
PSG have made an emphatic start to their title defense, opening their campaign with a 6-1 demolition of Slovan Bratislava in September. The result lifted Luis Enrique's team to the top of the 36-team League Phase standings after the opening round.
Their domestic campaign, however, began less smoothly. PSG failed to win any of their first three Ligue 1 matches, drawing twice and losing once, and initially slipped to sixth place, three points behind unbeaten leaders Monaco.
Enrique's men have since recovered with three consecutive league victories over Brest, Marseille and Le Mans. Their latest success, a 3-1 win over Le Mans at the Parc des Princes on Saturday, came with a heavily rotated lineup as the coach managed his squad ahead of the trip to Manchester.
Extending that winning run to five matches in all competitions will require PSG to overcome a difficult away record against City. They have yet to win in four previous visits to the Etihad, drawing once and losing three times. Their three Champions League defeats in Manchester came by an aggregate score of 5-1.
However, PSG's broader record against English opposition offers encouragement. They are unbeaten in their last 11 UEFA competition matches against English clubs, winning eight and drawing three. A victory or draw on Wednesday would move them closer to matching Real Madrid's Champions League record of 11 consecutive unbeaten matches against English sides.
City have no reported injury or fitness concerns ahead of the encounter, while Phil Foden is available again after completing a three-match domestic suspension following his red card against Manchester United on Sept. 13.
Jeremy Doku could earn a starting place after making a decisive impact off the bench against Liverpool, setting up one goal before scoring another. His inclusion on the left wing could see Antoine Semenyo move to the opposite flank.
Josko Gvardiol is also pushing for a return to the starting lineup and could replace Nico O'Reilly in defense. He is expected to feature alongside Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi and Matheus Nunes in a back four.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is likely to start against his former club. The Italian spent four seasons at PSG from 2021 to 2025, winning four Ligue 1 titles and the Champions League before moving to Manchester City.
Much of City's attacking threat will again rest on Erling Haaland, who has scored eight goals in as many appearances under Maresca this season, including one against Liverpool. The Norwegian striker could also reach two Champions League scoring milestones if he finds the net against PSG.
PSG have fewer injury concerns, although young midfielder Senny Mayulu is expected to undergo an assessment on a dead leg before kickoff.
Ousmane Dembele and left-back Nuno Mendes are both expected to return to the starting lineup after being rested for Saturday's victory over Le Mans. Dembele has scored in five consecutive Champions League appearances, making him one of the visitors' principal attacking threats.
Captain Marquinhos, William Pacho, Vitinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are also in contention to return to the lineup, while Ferran Torres is expected to feature against his former club after scoring a hat trick in PSG's opening Champions League match against Slovan Bratislava.