No room for error as City seek first win at Ajax

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AFP) - Manchester City visit Ajax on Wednesday knowing that they can afford no further setbacks if they are to avoid a painful repeat of last season's Champions League group-phase exit.

Dealt another fiendish draw, City find themselves in third place in Group D after two matches, five points behind leaders Real Madrid and three points adrift of Borussia Dortmund.

Both games to date have left the English champions in rueful mood.

The opening 3-2 loss in Madrid came courtesy of a 90th-minute winner from Cristiano Ronaldo, while City needed a last-minute Mario Balotelli penalty to snatch a 1-1 draw at home to an enterprising Dortmund side three weeks ago.