Manchester City Favored to Lead the Way Against Atletico

Manchester City face Atletico Madrid in a friendly on Sunday evening. City are unbeaten inside 90 minutes in their recent warm-up matches and appear to be in good form, while Atletico are coming off a defeat. On that basis, City are favored to claim the win.

Manchester City have recorded one win and one draw inside regulation time in their last two friendlies, scoring four goals across those matches. Against Inter Milan, City had 64% possession and outshot their opponents 24-10, underlining their attacking intent.

Antoine Semenyo impressed in that match, winning five of his seven duels and completing four of five attempted dribbles to become a key outlet in attack. Divin Mubama has also scored in each of his last two appearances and is enjoying a strong run of form.

City have steadily improved as they have played more matches. They eased to a 3-1 victory over the K League All-Stars last time out, with their attacking performances continuing to trend upward. They therefore look capable of extending their winning run.

Atletico showed plenty of firepower in a 4-1 friendly win over fellow La Liga opposition from Catalonia. However, they then suffered a 2-1 defeat against Premier League giants Manchester United.

Atletico registered 10 shots in that game, but only four came from inside the opposition penalty area. By contrast, 10 of United's 13 attempts were taken from inside Atletico's box, highlighting the difference in attacking threat.

Atletico have conceded three goals across their two friendlies, leaving room for improvement defensively. Against a potent Manchester City attack, they face a difficult challenge.