Manchester City kick off their FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) campaign against Moroccan side Wydad at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Wednesday evening.
Pep Guardiola's side will be expected to win and comfortably, given the mismatch that is the Premier League against the Moroccan top flight. City come into this clash in high spirits too, having won their last two games in the league which secured them third place and a spot in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) for next season, the minimum requirement for what was a below-par campaign by their usual sky-high standards.
Wydad come into this on the back of successive 1-0 friendly defeats to Sevilla and Porto respectively, the latter of which is also competing in the CWC. Prior to that, the Moroccans had won three in a row in their domestic league, and on an unbeaten league run that stretches all the way back to December.
However, City will be a totally different level of opposition for them, and anything other than a win for the Cityzens would be a real shock.
How the bookies view it: City unsurprisingly huge favourites
Unsurprisingly, City are massive favourites to claim all three points in their CWC opener, with BoyleSports having them as short as 1/16 for victory. A draw can be backed at 12/1 with the same bookmaker, while a Wydad win is as far out as 33/1.
Recent head-to-head: No previous meetings
Given that they are from different continents and taking into account the level they both play, perhaps it is also unsurprising that both teams have never faced off against each other before.
Players to watch: Cherki among exciting City signings
Rayan Cherki could be one of a number of summer signings that City could give their debuts too, coming off the back of impressive performances with France. Indeed, the midfielder scored a wonder goal in Les Bleus' 5-4 defeat to Spain in the UEFA Nations League (UNL) semi-finals, and can be backed at 5/4 with BoyleSports to net anytime on his debut.
Wydad may also give a debut to a new signing of their own in veteran Moroccan Nordin Amrabat, who joined from Championship side Hull this summer.
Predicted lineups
City are without Mateo Kovacic through injury, while Jack Grealish was not picked in the squad and is seemingly on his way out of the Etihad Stadium this summer.
Wydad have no concerns of their own, with Mohamed Rayhi, who was their top scorer in the Moroccan top flight last season with 11 goals, being another player for City to keep an eye on.
Manchester City: Ederson, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri, Rodri, Reijnders, Cherki, Foden, Marmoush, Haaland.
Wydad: El Motie, Moufi, Meijers, Harkass, Boucheta, Malsa, Moubarik, Amrabat, Arthur, Rayhi, Obeng.
Anything else catch the eye?
Given the gulf in class, City could run riot just as Bayern Munich did to New Zealand minnows Auckland City in their 10-0 rout earlier in the competition. Bayern were 6-0 up at HT, and BoyleSports are offering a price boost of 4/1 for City to score Over 2.5 1st half goals.
In a similar vein, backing Over 4.5 total goals at 9/5 with the same bookmaker seems a worthy punt.
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