Sporting vs Man City LIVE: Team news and line-ups as Ruben Amorim takes on Pep Guardiola

A recap of City’s last result…

Manchester City’s 32-game unbeaten run in the Premier League was ended by Bournemouth who gave a superb display to beat the champions 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium.

Not since losing to Aston Villa on December 6 last year had City lost in the league, but from the first moments on the south coast Andoni Iraola’s side looked a match for them, their energy and industry rewarded by goals from Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson.

It looked at times like Bournemouth would run away from City. Marcus Tavernier struck a post at 2-0 to leave Pep Guardiola’s side clinging on by their fingertips, before Josko Gvardiol set up a nervous finish when he headed in Ilkay Gundogan’s cross.

The prolific Norwegian striker was filmed clutching his shin after going down in apparent pain during a training session open to members of the media on Monday.

Yet manager Guardiola confirmed the 24-year-old is fit and well after the squad arrived in the Portuguese capital later that evening.

The Portuguese, who was named as Erik ten Hag’s successor last week, will take charge of his final Sporting home game as City visit the Jose Alvalade Stadium in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old accepts expectations will be high when he takes over at Old Trafford later this month, and he recognises that could increase if Sporting overcome City.

“I don’t think about that,” said Amorim at a press conference.

“My focus is on winning the match for Sporting. The conclusions are not important for me because they could be erroneous. If we win tomorrow they will think the new Alex Ferguson has arrived.”

The Ruben Amorim derby is not the Ruben Amorim derby at all. The Sporting manager is bound for Manchester, but not to take charge of Tuesday’s opponents. But his penultimate game in charge of the Portuguese champions will be the Hugo Viana derby. Manchester City’s next sporting director will come from Sporting, just as Manchester United’s next manager will.

All of which prompted the idea that Amorim would be Pep Guardiola’s successor. Not so, and not merely because Amorim’s destination instead is Manchester United. As City wait to see if Guardiola will want to extend his contract, there may be no frontrunner, because there is no date yet for when there will be a vacancy.

But part of the same rationale was applied by both Manchester clubs. Sporting had not won the Portuguese league for almost two decades. They have now done so twice in four seasons, while improving players, signing well and selling at huge profits. City clearly feel Viana is responsible for a success story; United credit Amorim. For manager and sporting director alike, a move to Manchester comes with a shift in status, to a destination club. City have become excellent sellers under their departing director of football Txiki Begiristain, but from a position at the top of the footballing food chain.

Sporting XI: Israel; Inacio, Diomande, Debast; Quenda, Braganca, Hjulmand, Araujo; Trincao, Gyokeres, Goncalves.

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Gundogan; Foden, Silva, Kovacic, Doku; Haaland.

Sporting’s Nuno Santos is expected to miss the rest of the year with a knee issue, while Eduardo Quaresma is also sidelined.

Pep Guardiola was boosted by the availability of Jeremy Doku, Kyle Walker, Savinho and Kevin de Bruyne against Bournemouth, although the latter pair were unused off the bench. Manchester City’s treatment room remains busy, though, with Ruben Dias and John Stones their latest injury concerns.

When is Sporting vs Manchester City?

Sporting vs Manchester City is due to kick off at 8pm GMT on Tuesday 5 November at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the channel from 7pm GMT. Subscribers can stream the action via discovery+.

Plenty of eyes will be on the touchline and Sporting boss Ruben Amorim, who is preparing to take charge at Manchester United after the international break.

The Portuguese club are level on points with their visitors after two wins and a draw from their first three games in the revamped competition format.

But they face a stiff challenge against a Manchester City side looking to bounce back from a weekend Premier League defeat to Bournemouth.

Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of tonight’s Champions League league phase match between Sporting CP and Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side are well on track to qualify in the top eight and make it straight through to the knockout rounds, having won two and drawn one of their opening three matches.

The Portuguese champions also sit on seven points in the league table, having beaten Sturm Graz last time out, and of tonight’s match has the added intrigue of pitting incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim against Pep Guardiola for the first time.

We’ll have all the latest news, updates and build-up right here.