Getty Images
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
Manchester City  Hart Richards, Kompany, Savic, Kolarov Milner, Toure, Barry, Johnson Aguero, Dzeko | Porto  Helton Mangala, Maicon, Rolando, Pereira Gonzalez, Moutinho, Fernando J. Rodriguez, Hulk, Varela |
Manchester City have no fresh injuries, with Roberto Mancini able to choose his line-up from a full squad of players. Sergio Aguero got the winner against the Portuguese side last time around and therefore may be in consideration for a starting place at the Etihad Stadium.
The Italian surprised some people by fielding a strong side for the first leg but, with the Citizens now holding a 2-1 advantage, they are expected to make some changes on Wednesday while still naming enough quality show they are taking the game seriously. Adam Johnson and James Milner are in line to start.
For Porto, the current Europa League holders, defender Danilo suffered knee ligament damage after the 20-year-old clashed with Yaya Toure in the first leg and will therefore be missing for six weeks. Vitor Pereira is again without long-term absentee Emidio Rafael and the ineligible Marc Janko so is likely to just make the one change.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
The clash will be City's 50th Uefa Cup/Europa League game, in that time they have conceded 48 goals.
- A number of players in Mancini's ranks who have played against Porto before including Nigel De Jong and Vincent Kompany while at Hamburg and Sergio Aguero with Atletico Madrid. Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and Kolo Toure also all faced the Portuguese giants for Arsenal, and were very successful winning one tie 6-2 on aggregate.
- City boss Mancini (pictured right) was Sampdoria's captain when they met Porto in the 1994-95 Uefa Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final. He scored the only goal to take the game to a shoot-out, which they won.
- The Italian's record as a manager against Porto reads two wins, two draws and two losses, losing 4-1 on aggregate in the Uefa Cup semi-finals with Lazio but progressing from the last 16 in with Inter Milan.
- Porto's record against English sides is unfavourable, having played 28, won just six, drawn eight and lost 14. They have never won on their travels to England.
- The visitors have won the Europa League the last two times they have been in it, last season and in the then-named Uefa Cup in the 2002-03 season.
- The Portuguese side knocked out the Citizens' rivals Manchester United on their way to Champions League success in the 2003-04 season, a match which is remembered for Jose Mourinho's famous touchline celebration.
- Porto last lost a two-legged tie in the 2000-01 quarter-final in a 2-0 aggregate defeat by Liverpool.
- Both clubs were in the Champions League at the start of the season but finished third in their groups, despite being expected to reach the latter stages and both very much in with a chance of their domestic league titles.
- The winners will face Legia Warsaw or Porto's Liga rivals, Sporting Lisbon, in the next stage.
Porto go into the match a goal down and therefore and so will probably try and get at the English side right from the off, whilst it is likely we will see a more conservative approach from City. However, sitting on that advantage for the whole match would be a dangerous tactic for Mancini to employ, with Porto ready to pounce on any signs of complacency.
The Italian will definitely have one eye on the Premier League situation, with a match against Blackburn on Saturday to remember, and therefore is likely to name some of his second string players. Nevertheless the Citizen's have so much strength in depth that whatever side the 47-year-old picks they should have enough to hold on to their advantage.
They Etihad has been a fortress this season and it will certainly take some effort from the visitors to overturn the goal deficit, I think City's two away goals could prove crucial with the scores looking like they will be close on the night.
The Italian will definitely have one eye on the Premier League situation, with a match against Blackburn on Saturday to remember, and therefore is likely to name some of his second string players. Nevertheless the Citizen's have so much strength in depth that whatever side the 47-year-old picks they should have enough to hold on to their advantage.
They Etihad has been a fortress this season and it will certainly take some effort from the visitors to overturn the goal deficit, I think City's two away goals could prove crucial with the scores looking like they will be close on the night.
Editor's Prediction
Manchester City 1-1 Porto 
