carlos tevez

Manchester United’s win over Arsenal on Monday night was the first by a 1-0 scoreline and the Red Devils are now top of the Premier League with a game in hand.

It’s quite remarkable that Sir Alex Ferguson’s team are top of the tree considering that they have won just one away game all season, although on the flip side they are unbeaten in the Premier League all term and were good value for their victory over the Gunners.

The bookmakers have United as the new favourites to win the title, with Boylesports offering 7/4 and bet365 going 11/8, while Sporting Bet are as short as 5/4 about the Premier League trophy returning to Old Trafford. The defence is looking pretty strong now that Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are fit.

Chelsea are the second favourites despite the fact that they are now three points behind the Red Devils having played a game more. Carlo Ancelotti’s team are currently struggling for points, although they were unlucky not to win their recent match at White Hart Lane and perhaps they have turned a corner. The Blues are currently available at 2/1 with William Hill.

Arsenal are the drifters on the outright market after that 1-0 defeat against Manchester United, with Coral prepared to offer 5/1 that the Gunners are victorious. Arsene Wenger’s team just couldn’t seem to find a breakthrough against a Red Devils team playing a 4-5-1 formation, although they have now played the other title contenders away from home.

Manchester City are the 7/1 (bet365) fourth favourites to win the Premier League title and many would regard them as the only other viable team that can finish top this season. That’s if the side haven’t combusted come May, with Carlos Tevez doing his best to derail his team’s challenge after slapping in a transfer request at Eastlands.

Roberto Mancini would be badly lacking in firepower if Tevez were to leave the club in January, especially as Mario Balotelli has a clear attitude problem and Emmanuel Adebayor has suggested he will go to Juventus on loan next month.

Tottenham Hotspur are now seven points off the pace after their 1-1 draw with Chelsea and the form of Harry Redknapp’s team does not suggest that they can sustain a title challenge, even if none of the top teams are setting the Premier League alight this term.

Ultimately, Spurs have managed just four wins from their nine matches at White Hart Lane and this sort of home form is not good enough when you consider that Manchester United have a near invincible record at Old Trafford. Even so, Harry Redknapp’s team are 40/1 (William Hill) to provide an upset.

At the start of the season, I stated that the Golden Boot winner was likely to come from a select group of three players – Didier Drogba, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney.

There seems no reason to revise that opinion at the moment, although Rooney would need something pretty special between now and May to haul himself back into contention after making headlines for matters off the field this season rather than in a Manchester United shirt.

The Red Devils striker has just one goal to his name in the Premier League and is 25/1 with Sporting Bet to finish top of the pile and we all know that the England striker has the ability to score bucket loads of goals.

However, it’s his former United team-mate Carlos Tevez who is blazing a trail at the top of the charts and the Argentinean’s brace against Fulham last Sunday means he has nine Premier League goals to his name this term.

Tevez is favourite with most firms and bet365 offer 10/3 that he remains ahead of his rivals when the season finishes. It could be a great price if Manchester City continue to create chances like they did at Craven Cottage, although Roberto Mancini does seem to employ defensive tactics quite a lot of the time.

There are some surprise names breathing down the neck of the City striker at the moment, with Andy Carroll and Johan Elmander both on eight goals at this stage of the season. Carroll was a bit of an unknown package before this season, especially with Newcastle playing in the Championship last term. However, the Geordie was recently called up by England and he’s 16/1 (Paddy Power) to be top scorer.

Elmander is even bigger at 25/1 (Skybet) although the Swede has been excellent in recent weeks and he tore apart the Magpies defence last weekend. Whether he can continue his scoring rate is another matter, especially as Bolton are arguably over-achieving at the moment.

Didier Drogba was the Golden Boot winner last season, although the striker is currently having a lean patch in front of goal for Chelsea that is lasting a few games. Some might argue that he’s therefore due to get back on the scoresheet pretty soon and three goals is not a big gap between the Blues front man and Tevez. Skybet have 7/2 that the Ivorian retains his crown as goal king.

Fernando Torres is another player available at single figure odds (7/1 Blue Square) which is worthy of consideration considering that he has five Premier League goals to his name at the moment. However, with Steven Gerrard missing for a few matches, Liverpool might create fewer chances as a result.

Darren Bent (14/1 bet365) is back for Sunderland and is pretty reliable in front of goal, while Marouane Chamakh (16/1 bet365) is part of an Arsenal team that create and score plenty of goals. It’s hard to see outside of these players, although that 25/1 about Rooney does attract.

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City Betting Tip & Odds: Roberto Mancini may be on borrowed time, and failure to beat West Brom could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Is the situation that dire at Eastlands? Mark Hughes was fired for less, so it must be. City are not panning out to be the team, nor the force they were supposed to be in the league this year. They have looked hesitant and directionless at times, and are now on a three match losing skid. As for West Brom, they are unbeaten at home and that has to cause some favouritism for your football betting. This one will probably pan out to a draw, so it’s worth looking at a Score Draw bet for 4/1 at Ladbrokes.

West Bromwich Albion to win: 13/5 at Totesport
Draw: 12/5 at Bet365
Manchester City to win: 6/5 at Boylesports

EPL Match Preview: West Brom can rightly be considered the surprise package of the season, with Italian manager Roberto Di Matteo largely upstaging his Manchester City counterpart, Roberto Mancini. Di Matteo has impressed all by guiding Albion on an unbeaten streak at home this season. The Baggies have put together some good performances, which were nowhere near the expectations placed upon them at the start of the season. West Brom were expected to be prime relegation candidates, but things haven’t quite panned out that way. It didn’t seem like it would be a great return to the Premier League for West Bromwich Albion after they got thrashed 6-0 by Manchester City on the opening day of the new season. That was one of three away defeats City have suffered this season, but they have impressed as well on the road, beating Arsenal at the Emirates and holding Manchester United to a draw at Old Trafford. West Brom like to play the ball from the back, and you can see the style from Di Matteo filtering down through the team. They have not been found wanting in front of goal, but they have yet to keep a clean sheet this year, and have conceded heavily. Still, on the large part, they have been holding their end up, but need to bounce back from a rough 2-1 defeat away to Blackpool. That ended six game unbeaten streak for Albion, which shot them up the league.

Now in the battle of the two Italian managers, Di Matteo, with a victory over City, could see his team leap above their Sunday opponents in the league. That will be a big feather in the West Brom manager’s cap. West Brom have already beaten City this season, knocking the Eastlands club out of the Carling Cup, plus the Baggies have won the last three home league matches against City.  West Brom may have been outspent by Manchester City in the summer, but they certainly haven’t been outplayed over the course of the season. West Brom’s winning streak against City is a pretty good streak to look at, and being at home, West Brom appear to be a pretty good bet to pick up at least a point. That is because Manchester City are restless. Mancini has now seen his team lose the last three matches, and is behind the points tally which Mark Hughes picked up as boss last season after the same amount of games. Mancini must now be treading a thin line with regards to his job, and sitting just two points above West Brom, City really haven’t delivered money’s worth to their fans or their owners. This now represents a tricky away match for fourth placed Mancini, and that last time they traveled away from home, they were embarrassed 2-1 by Wolverhampton Wanderers. That clearly isn’t good enough returns, but what has kept them in the hunt, is their four game winning streak, including victory over Chelsea which they earned before their mini slump.

There is a Manchester derby on the horizon, and will Mancini still be in the hot seat by the time that comes around. There is rumored to be a lot of unrest in the dressing room, with players butting heads with team mates as well as the manager. Although all this has been played down, things really don’t sound very harmonious, and very different from what is happening at West Brom. Can Manchester City turn things around at the Hawthorns? That is the question, and everything could hinge on Carlos Tevez, who may or may not play. With so many players vying for the starting eleven, Mancini has been mixing up his team, rotating the players, and things seem to be falling apart at the seams. After losing heavily away in Poland in the Europa League in the week, City fans need some better news, but they may have to wait a little longer. The biggest surprise about City is that they really are not as potent in front of goal as they should be. Whether this is down to Mancini’s rotation policy, or whether the team just has not gelled yet, is anyone’s guess. City are simply not keeping pace with other title contenders in front of goal, and it could be down to the negative and conservative nature of the boss. It is no time to go cowering away though, City need a good attacking performance to lift their spirits again. They are not out of the running for the league title by a long shot. Not yet, but they can ill afford to lose three consecutive Premier League matches.

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West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Man City 4, West Brom 2
West Brom 2, Man City 1
West Brom 2, Man City 0
Man City 0, West Brom 0
West Brom 2, Man City 0

West Bromwich Albion have an 60% win percentage at home in the league this season
Manchester City have a 40% win percentage away from home in the league this season

West Bromwich Albion have scored 8 goals, and conceded 4 at home
Manchester City have scored 6 and conceded 5 goals in their away matches

West Bromwich Albion have scored the bulk of their goals in the 46-60 minute bracket
Manchester City have scored the majority of their goals in the 61-75 minute bracket

West Bromwich Albion have opened the scoring in 20% of their matches
Manchester City have scored first in 60% of their matches

West Bromwich Albion average 1.6 goals per match at home this season
Manchester City average 1.2 goals per match away from home this season

West Bromwich Albion 2010/11 top scorer: Odemwingie, 3
Manchester City 2010/11 top scorer: Tevez, 7

West Bromwich Albion 2010/11 Season Form: P10 W4 D3 L3 GF14 GA17 Pts 15 (8th)
Manchester City 2010/11 Season Form: P10 W6 D2 L2 GF13 GA10 Pts 17 (4th)

Manchester City vs Arsenal Betting Odds with EPL Match Preview & Prediction, Sunday, October 24th

This is a Premier League between two very contrasting sides and styles. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is always looking for the perfect passing game, and plays some of the most freely attacking football anywhere. City boss Roberto Mancini likes to block up the midfield and make sure their first priority is not conceding a goal. Two contrasting styles, but styles which are working for their respective teams, as this is a battle between second and third place in the league. This is the highlight of the weekend fixtures, and the Arsenal v Manchester City clash will draw a lot of betting attention. Rightly so, because it does present some interesting challengers to the punter. Who will win out? The attack of Arsenal, or the defence of City? When it comes to scenario’s like this, you have to first look towards the attacking team, because they are least trying to make things happen by being positive. They do have the quality in their ranks to win matches like this, and away from home, it usually takes a little more of a battling performance than it does at the Emirates. That being said, Arsenal to win by 1 goal margin is 7/2 at Bet365, and for Arsenal to win by 2 goals is 9/1 at SkyBet. The online bookmakers are favouring a draw here though, and a score draw, because realistically there should be goals in this match, is also priced at 7/2 with Boylesports. If you’re looking for Asian Handicap betting tips, then you are going to be hard pressed to find a lot of value in anything other than backing an Arsenal win by taking them in the negative. An Arsenal -1 Asian Handicap is 9/2 at Bet365, which isn’t bad for an away team of their stature. With bookies leaning towards a draw, look for good halftime/fulltime bets. Man City/Draw is 14/1 at SkyBet, and Arsenal/Draw is 14/1 at Bet365, both very good value.

Manchester City v Arsenal Odds

Manchester City to win: 6/4 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Arsenal to win: 2/1 at Totesport

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Head to online bookmaker Paddy Power for a betting promotion for Sunday’s big clash. Paddy Power, aka the Bonus King, are running No City Limits, which means that if there are more than four goals in the game, the online bookmaker will refund all losing first/last goalscorer, correct score, and Scorecast singles on the big game. Games between these sides usually produce goals, and with the wealth of talent on display, this offer provides some good coverage. For new account holders signing up at Paddy Power, a free £50 bet is available as a welcome bonus.

Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Arsenal 0, Man City 0
Man City 4, Arsenal 2
Arsenal 2, Man City 0
Man City 3, Arsenal 0
Man City 1, Arsenal 3

Manchester City have a 75% win percentage at home in the league this season
Arsenal have a 25% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Manchester City have scored 7 goals, and conceded 2 at home
Arsenal have scored 4 and conceded 5 goals in their away matches

Manchester City have scored the bulk of their goals in the 61-75 minute bracket
Arsenal have scored the majority of their goals in the 46-60 and 76-90 minute brackets

Manchester City have opened the scoring in 62.5% of their matches
Arsenal have scored first in 61% of their matches

Manchester City average 1.75 goals per match at home this season
Arsenal average 1.00 goals per match away from home this season

Manchester City 2010/11 top scorer: Tevez, 7
Arsenal 2010/11 top scorer: Walcott, 4

Manchester City injuries/suspensions: Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure, Johnson, Nimely, Balotelli, Kolarov
Arsenal injuries/suspensions: Almunia, Vermaelen, Wilshere, Van Persie, Ramsey

Manchester City 2010/11 Season Form: P8 W5 D1 L1 GF12 GA5 Pts 17 (1st)
Arsenal 2010/11 Season Form: P8 W4 D2 L2 GF18 GA10 Pts 14 (3rd)

Manchester City v Arsenal Betting Tip: Correct Score 1-1 for 5/1 at Paddy Power

Manchester City Betting:

Without being spectacular, without making too much fuss or bother about things, Man City have somehow climbed up into second place in the Premier League. Much was expected from them after their summer spending, and a title challenge was expected by most people, but it is the manner in which it has come which has been interesting. Man City are quite a dull side compared to Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal. For all the forward power they snapped up, they really are not an explosive side, and boss Roberto Mancini clearly likes to take a caution first approach to situations. It is a little bit hard to measure the progress of City, as it is their workmanlike unity which has grabbed the most attention for them, it hasn’t been because of powerful bombardments on the opposition goal. Yes, there have been some class moments from Carlos Tevez, including his goal which beat Chelsea, but by and large, City have been boring their way to the top. The fans probably won’t care too much at the moment, as long as they stay there. Another reason why it is hard to gauge where City are at, is the falling standards of Man Utd. It’s unlikely that their respective league positions would be where they are, if United weren’t going through an uncharacteristic sticky patch. But chances have to be taken none the less, and it’ll be interesting to see how City cope against the artistic flair of Arsenal. In beating Chelsea, City squeezed and pressed the life out of the game and were able to catch Chelsea on the break. You would think that Arsenal would have that little bit more variety than Chelsea when it comes to attack, and the City side have to ensure that they don’t run out of ideas of their own, as they will concede a lot of possession to the Gunners. Can Man City win this? Of course, but this in ways will be a harder test than against Chelsea. On the plus side, a win for City would really make the league standings very interesting, and drive home a big advantage holding onto second place. You cannot ignore the quality, class and form of Carlos Tevez at the moment, and is well worth taking in goal scoring markets. He is best priced at Coral for 6/4 as anytime goalscorer. Emmanuel Adebayor, who hit a hat trick in the Europa League midweek, to net against his old club is 9/4 at Coral. Not sure if City have quite enough up front to win this one, but there are hints that Mancini may start both Tevez and Adebayor, but that would cede dangerous space to Arsenal in the middle of the park. A draw on them makes a safer sounding bet.

Arsenal Betting:

Arsene Wenger will be looking to push on towards the top of the Premier League, by taking out one of the two teams above them in the league standings. With the Gunners sitting third in the league behind Chelsea and Man City, Arsenal now are in a handy position, where, if they can beat Man City, would pull themselves level, plus will have the upper hand of awaiting the return fixture at the Emirates later in the season. It’s been far too long now since Arsenal put any silverware in the trophy cabinet, and after making new pleas for Cesc Fabregas to stay longer at the club, Arsene Wenger knows that his time must come soon. Arsenal do things the right way, they play the best technical football in the league, and know how to promote the careers of young, potential future stars. Jack Wilshere is such a man, with a bright future ahead for the young midfielder who has already broken into the ranks of the senior England squad. Along with Fabregas in midfield, Arsenal have a lot going for them. However, they are visibly missing the presence of Robin Van Persie this season, but the Gunners still remain one of the top challengers for the title. However, what failed Arsenal last year, was the difficulty they had against eventual champions Chelsea. In order to win the league, it is your main rivals, the best teams around that you have to take points off. After losing to Chelsea already this season, Arsenal can’t afford to drop another three points against a team in contention for the title. Even though it’s early days still, it could be crucial come the end of the season. Arsenal romped to a 5-1 win over in the Champions League at the Emirates this week, and their technically brilliant play again, thrilled fans. Do they have the creativity to break down Man City? If there’s one team in the league which you think would have that cutting edge, it would be Arsenal, even if not at full strength. They are worth backing, as they have a pretty good record away to Man City. Although they have lost the last two trips there 3-0, the Manchester City v Arsenal fixture has produced 36 wins for Arsenal and just 31 for the home side, and the overall head to head records lean very heavily in favour of Arsenal. Marouane Chamakh still looks best bet for getting Arsenal on the board, and is priced 5/2 at SkyBet.

Manchester City v Arsenal Football Betting Prediction: Draw

There are some interesting goal scoring football bets around at the moment, as some of the Premier League’s top performers are showing their early form. Here we take a look over the race to win the Golden Boot for the Premier League, as some of the familiar faces in the goal scoring charts hit their strider, while some unfamiliar names are encroaching near the top of the odds. With football odds forever changing, because of goal scoring feats in weekend and midweek Premier League matches, now is a good time to browse over this market, simply because there is now an international break for the Euro 2012 qualifiers, including England v Montenegro on October 12th. Here we not only take a look at the leading contenders to finish top of the Premier League goalscoring charts, but we also assess their pro’s and con’s to help you decide who to back in your football betting.

Didier Drogba, Chelsea 9/2 at BetFred

Total League Goals: 6
Goals All Competitions: 6
2009/10 League Goals: 29

Pros: The big talismanic striker has a proven track record of goals, and just keeps on going. He is the fulcrum of the Chelsea attack, and will be again this year, even though there is pressure on him from youngsters in the squad. He will remain the main source of goals, and if Chelsea are going to retain the Premier League title they need him. He does make for a strong bet again after winning the Golden Boot last year, out shooting main challenger Wayne Rooney. Chelsea are such a heavy goal scoring side, that he will get plenty of chances to fill his boots.
Cons: Age isn’t on his side any more, and sometimes goes missing in action. With such good form of players around him like Anelka and Malouda, may get a little less time on the pitch this season.

Carlos Tevez, Man City 6/1 at BetFred

Total League Goals: 5
Goals All Competitions: 5
2009/10 League Goals: 23

Pros: He is the main man at Man City, and his ability and class immediately stands out on the pitch. Had an incredible season last year, carrying the Man City attack, and it looks as if it will be that way again this season. A lot of the goals he scored are spectacular and is one of the best technical finishers in the league. Every team would like him, in their side, there’s not much doubt about that. Has better players around him than last season. Can he push Drogba?
Cons: He is not in the most attack minded team, even though City have spend big in the summer on attacking players. The City style is still caution first, and they don’t create as many chances as they should. With a quality strike partner and better service from midfield, he could do so much better.

Dimitar Berbatov, Man Utd 13/2 at 888Sport

Total League Goals: 6
Goals All Competitions: 7
2009/10 League Goals:

Pros: United’s record signing is finally starting to return the expectations surrounding him. He has gotten off to a blinding start, which is just as well for United as Rooney has disappeared. Has some quality touches and can unlock defences with his technical ability. On his day he can look a world beater, and in a United side which likes to attack, he should be in the mix heavily when he plays.
Cons: One thing which Berbatov has been labelled as, is lazy. He hasn’t always shown the commitment to his side in terms of putting in the leg work. That was his downfall last season, and you can’t help but feel that once Rooney returns to full fitness, and once the hard winter matches get here, Berbatov may just fade back into his shell. Does he have the commitment and consistency to deliver?

Darren Bent, Sunderland 7/1 at Blue Square

Total League Goals: 5
Goals All Competitions: 7
2009/10 League Goals: 24

Pros: Remarkable that he has picked up where he left off last year, and proving not be a flash in the pan as people thought he might be. His goal scoring feats at Sunderland were remarkable last year, and earned him and England call up. The club look to him for goals, and he keeps delivering. With a new strike partner Asamoah Gyan, Bent really could be even more potent instead of being a lone striker. May not be the classiest player, but he certainly gets stuck in a knows where the back of the net is.
Cons: Playing in a Sunderland side which is just lacking the quality up front to supply him with more chances. That’s all that is missing really from making him a true contender for the Golden Boot. If he was at Man Utd, then you would back him heavily for example. It sums a lot up when three of his five goals have been from the penalty spot. There is a lot of pressure and expectancy upon him, but probably doesn’t have enough support around him to give him the chances he needs.

Wayne Rooney, Man Utd 10/1 at BetFred

Total League Goals: 1
Goals All Competitions: 1
2009/10 League Goals: 26

Pros: One of the most naturally gifted strikers in the league, and a fully fit and match sharp Rooney is something to be feared as shown last season where he was lethal. Give him a chance and he will finish it, or he has the ability to go and create his own chances out of nothing. The benefits of playing at United in a system which suits his game as lone striker will always help him.
Cons: Looks as if he is starting to feel the pressure from the media and the weight of expectation. Again missing out because of injury at the moment, and looking as if he is playing second fiddle to Berbatov. It’s been a long time now since we’ve seen the best of Rooney, you probably have to go back to March for that, and it’s just not there for him at the moment. United aren’t on top of their game either, with lack of quality coming from the middle of the park. Not looking good for Rooney this year.

Fernando Torres, Liverpool 12/1 at BetFair

Total League Goals: 1
Goals All Competitions: 1
2009/10 League Goals: 18

Pros: The Spaniard is still one of the world’s best finisher when he fit and enjoy himself. Last season he was plagued with injury but still managed to weigh in with a decent tally. A world class finisher, and if he moves to Man City as rumours are expecting to in January, it could boost his tally a lot.
Cons: In a very poor Liverpool team. In very poor health and fitness. In very poor match fitness. Torres deserves better and he has looked increasingly frustrated at Liverpool. He has had his critics, but he has not been getting any quality service this season. Was rushed back to quickly for the World Cup, and like Rooney hasn’t looked his best for a long time. Needs to be fully fit and on a better team to challenge and even fitness looks a long shot at the moment.

Florent Malouda, Chelsea 16/1 at BetFred

Total League Goals: 6
Goals All Competitions: 6
2009/10 League Goals: 12

Pros: Has really come on in his Chelsea career. Remember how long it took Didier Drogba to look like a class act after moving to Chelsea? Well, Malouda looks to just been finding his feet this year. Getting more involved in games, and making a more direct impact up front along with Drogba and Anelka. Could weigh in with a decent tally of goals, although it would be something special to beat his team mate Drogba.
Cons: Playing wider and behind the main front man, he doesn’t get as many chances. He is flourishing, but his place in the team is for support as opposed to being a main source of goals.

Nicolas Anelka, Chelsea 20/1 at Blue Square

Total League Goals: 2
Goals All Competitions: 7
2009/10 League Goals: 11

Pros: Carries the can a lot when Drogba goes missing, but when playing with Drogba, Anelka falls back into a support role and doesn’t find the goals to easy to come by. He stands up well in European matches, but just doesn’t have that quantity of league goals in him. Class player, brilliant in his support role, and should have his fair share of goals.
Cons: Anelka is not a main goalscorer, not in the league anyway, and that is because of how Chelsea set up, and focus the attack around Drogba. Will score important goals but just doesn’t have the amount of impact that Drogba has.

Marouane Chamakh, Arsenal 22/1 at 888Sport

Total League Goals: 2
Goals All Competitions: 4
2009/10 League Goals: n/a

Pros: Looking very sharp early in his Arsenal career, and will only get better. Arsenal play some of the best football in the league, and a technically gifted striker roaming around up front for them, will be in amongst the goals quite a bit. With Robin Van Persie missing, he should get plenty of action as Arsenal will look to him for goals. Playing on such a fantastic football side will also help, and Arsenal are big scorers in the league, and they could be rewarded well through Chamakh.
Cons: Unknown and untested in the physical Premier League over a full season. Other than that, the Gunners should be able to get a decent return on him.

Didier Drogba has now gone level with Florent Malouda in the scoring charts after his brilliantly-taken goal against Arsenal and the Ivorian is a best-priced 7/4 with Paddy Power to win the Premier League Golden Boot this season. There seems to be no stopping the Chelsea striker retaining his prize this term and he didn’t disappoint by keeping up his goal-a-game strike ratio for the English champions.

Carlos Tevez was also on the scoresheet on Sunday to fire home the opening goal against Newcastle and that means that the Argentinian has five Premier League goals to his name this season. Paddy Power offer 5/1 that he wins the Golden Boot and you can only imagine that the former Manchester United striker will get more chances as his Manchester City team continue to gel and create more chances.

Are these two players going to be the ones battling it out for the Golden Boot this season? It’s hard to see who is going to trouble them in the scoring charts, although some people might be taking a punt on Dimitar Berbatov, who is 9/1 with Ladbrokes to land the spoils. The Bulgarian has six goals to his name this season, although three of them were against Liverpool and his disadvantage could be the eventual return of Wayne Rooney to form.

The England striker will be playing a little catch-up when he next pulls on a Manchester United jersey, although the bookies aren’t quite ready to write him off just yet and Ladbrokes offer 16/1 that we see Rooney finish top of the pile. He is only five goals behind and did score in big volumes last term.

Darren Bent is 10/1 with Coral after failing to add to his tally of five goals against the Red Devils on Saturday, although the Sunderland striker could be the each-way value as he was last season, especially if a few penalties come the way of the Black Cats.

Of course, we shouldn’t forget Florent Malouda, who has scored as many goals as his team-mate Didier Drogba and also gets into advanced positions for a team who could easily score 100 times this season. The Frenchman will be aiming for 20+ goals and he is on offer at 16/1 with bet365 to win the Golden Boot.

Arsenal’s Marouane Chamakh is on offer at 40/1 (bet365) and the Moroccan has managed to score two goals for the Gunners this season and could be open to rapid improvement under manager Arsene Wenger. Andrey Arshavin has also scored a couple for the North London team and Paddy Power make him a 50/1 shot to be a surprise winner.

As for Fernando Torres, many punters will have given up on the Spaniard after incurring another injury for Liverpool during Sunday’s match with Blackpool. Bet365 lead the way in taking on the Spaniard with their quote of 16/1 and they might not find too many takers.

Man City v Chelsea Premier League Betting Odds

Date: Saturday, September 25th
Venue: City of Manchester Stadium
Kick Off: 12.45 GMT

Man City to win: 13/5 at Bet365
Draw: 12/5 at SkyBet
Chelsea to win: 6/5 at Totesport

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Paddy Power are hoping that the genius of Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez doesn’t pop up with last goal of the game for this one. They are running a Blue Moon Rising football betting promotion for the Man City v Chelsea match. If Carlos Tevez pops up and scores the final goal of the match, then the online bookmaker will refund all losing 1st and last Goalscorer bets, along with correct score and score cast single bets placed on the match. Along with that nice little bonus on the game, Paddy Power also offer a £50 Free Bet for new customers, as well as offering some unique deals on Correct Score bets where you can get a 2 For 1 offer, plus account holders can join in the Last Man Standing tournaments, where big cash prizes can be won for predicting outcomes of Premier League matches.

Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Chelsea 2, Man City 4
Man City 2, Chelsea 1
Chelsea 1, Man City 0
Man City 1, Chelsea 3
Man City 0, Chelsea 2

Man City have a 50% win percentage at home in the league this season
Chelsea have a 100% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Man City have scored 4 goals, and conceded just 1 at home
Chelsea have scored 9 and conceded 1 goal in their away matches

Man City have scored the bulk of their goals in the 46-90 minute bracket
Chelsea have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

Man City have opened the scoring in 40% of their matches
Chelsea have scored first in 100% of their matches

Man City 2010/11 top scorer: Tevez, 3
Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Malouda, 6

Man City injuries/suspensions: Boateng, Adebayor, Lescott, Balotelli, Kolarov
Chelsea injuries/suspensions: Lampard, Terry, Bosingwa

Man City 2010/11 Season Form: DWLDW
Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: WWWWW

Man City v Chelsea Betting and Match Preview:

This is the first big test of Chelsea’s season, and the first real test of their credentials to retain the Premier League title. These clashes between the league’s top teams has an enormous amount of influence on the title outcome, even though that seems a long way off just yet. So Chelsea, with their 100% record head to Eastlands to take on City who have really yet to hit the ground running, but are expected to be up there among the challengers when it comes to business end of the season. This match will really give the rest of the challenging teams a chance to see what Chelsea are made of, and get a glimpse of whether they really are as good as their early season form suggests. Without a doubt, City are the ones trying to close the gap on Chelsea, and not the other way around, even after all of Roberto Mancini’s summer spending. Just a big of a test as this is for Chelsea, it is a major one for Man City. For your football betting statistics on the match, Man City have a 42% win percentage at home against Chelsea throughout history, while Chelsea have gained victory in 34% of their visits up north. Everything, including the two victories by City over Chelsea last year, suggests that this is going to be a close game, with City averaging 1.39 goals against Chelsea at home, and Chelsea averaging 1.17 goals against City away. If you like your overall stats, then Chelsea have a big advantage, winning 59% of all encounters, but again, there’s really very little in the goal averages between the two teams when they meet. A draw wouldn’t be a bad option here, with Chelsea away and facing a stern test, while City have yet to find any kind of potency in front of goal. Will they cancel each other out? If you are looking for a winner, then Chelsea really have to be pencilled in as the most likely to pick up the three points. They have unmatched goal scoring power, which City may just not have any answer to.

Man City v Chelsea Betting Tip:  Didier Drobga 1st Goalscorer 3/1 at Bet365

Man City Betting:

During the summer, boss Roberto Mancini spent a lot of money on beefing up Man City’s forward power. There really hasn’t been much returns from all of that, and even though they splashed big in the midfield and up front, the biggest questions remained over the stability of their back line. That hasn’t done too badly to be honest, and they have absorbed a lot more pressure than they would probably have liked, simply because the forwards have been anything but clinical in front of goal. They have created chances, but apart from Carlos Tevez making a one man show of things again, the newly assembled City squad have yet to gel fully. Of course, there is no better time to start showing their title credentials, as they are already sitting outside of the top four, the place where they want to be. There really shouldn’t be much more of a buffer zone for Mancini, and unless City use a victory over Chelsea as a real springboard to push forward, then he’ll probably be out of a job very soon. When will we see City in top stride? Does Mancini know what his best side is? There are some injury problems for Mancini, keeping some of his summer signings out of the big match. Young striker Mario Balotelli is still missing, along with Kolarov and Boateng. Because left back Micah Richards is also doubtful, Mancini could be forced into playing Gareth Barry as left back to fill in. With Joleon Lescott injured as well, a makeshift Man City back line really could come under a lot of pressure, and with City’s record of winning just three of their last ten league matches, things aren’t looking too rosy for the light blues. In those ten games, City have scored in just five of them, which maybe points to Mancini either not having brought in the right quality of player, or his system isn’t working. Can he get one over on his fellow countryman Ancelotti, against whom he does have a good head to head record? Tevez will again be the key man for any success that comes City’s way, and is on a hot goal scoring streak at the moment (24 in 28), so is worth backing. Especially with the Paddy Power offer as above. He also enjoys scoring against Chelsea. City could well be worth tacking as coverage for a draw in an Asian Handicap – Man City +0.25 Evens at Paddy Power.

Chelsea Betting:

Up until last season, Chelsea seemed to enjoy heading north to play Manchester City, usually winning comfortably. However, tables were really turned last year when City not only won at home, but actually went to London and broke down the fortress that is Stamford Bridge. How much will form play a part in this one? Well, both clubs lost in the Carling Cup midweek, but you really can’t take anything from that, as it really doesn’t count. As for league form, Chelsea are out on their own, winning all five of their games, and even away from home have looked deadly in front of goal, racking up nine goals in two games. Of course, they will find the City defence a lot meaner than most of the opposition which they have come up against so far this season. However, you get the feeling that it is not going to matter who is in front of them, Chelsea’s attacking power should prevail nine times out of ten. The Blues head to Manchester with Frank Lampard still sitting on the sidelines, but with the performances of Brazilian midfielder Ramires, they really haven’t missed him. Along with Lampard, Chelsea have injury concerns over Yossi Benayoun, Gael Kakuta and Salomon Kalou, who all got knocks in their midweek Carling Cup defeat against Newcastle. Kalou in particular may be missed, as he’s been in good form in front of goal this season, but when you tally Florent Malouda, Nicolas Anelka, Michael Essien and of course Didier Drogba, there are still plenty of goals in the team, even without Lampard. Chelsea really have enjoyed the lions share of success in matches at Man City in recent history, and they are the Premier League team which have won the most games there. There is every chance that they will boost their record against City, who are still trying to find their identity. There is no such problem for Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea though, as they remain the team to catch again this season. Even though it is a step up in opposition, there shouldn’t be much problem backing an away win.

Man City v Chelsea Football Betting Prediction: Away win

It’s one of the biggest Premier League matches of the season to date and the bookmakers have been pulling out all the stops to provide customers with some outstanding betting value on the action at Eastlands.

William Hill are enhancing many of their odds for the match and this includes offering odds of 50/1 that Carlos Tevez scores first and Manchester City win by a 2-1 scoreline. They paid the price for boosting their odds when Arsenal slotted more than five goals past Blackpool on Saturday.

Over at Paddy Power, they also have a special promotion regarding Carlos Tevez. Place a first goalscorer, last goalscorer or correct score bet and they will refund any losing stakes if the Argentine striker scores the last goal of the game.

Bet365 have so far dodged a bullet for this round of Premier League fixtures by virtue of the fact that there have been no 0-0 draws. That’s because the world’s leading bookmaker are refunding bets on correct score and half-time / full-time markets if any match finishes goalless. This offer applies to every soccer match for every league in the world – there are no exceptions.

Bet Fred are well known for money back specials and they have a promotion which centres on Fernando Torres for Monday night’s match. The Spaniard is set to make his first Premier League start of the season for Liverpool at Eastlands and if he scores the last goal of the game, the bookmaker will refund all correct score, first & last goalscorer and Scorecast bets as a free bet.

Meanwhile, Blue Square have a number of player specials available for the match and there’s some value to be had if you hunt around for it! Carlos Tevez is available at 16/1 to score in both halves oif the match, while you can back James Milner to score at odds of 3/1. The former Aston Villa player will be making his debut tonight and also hoping to make a big impression after signing for around £23 million.

You can back Steven Gerrard to score from outside the box at odds of 8/1, while Mario Balotelli is 4/1 with Blue Square to open the scoring. The Italian received a yellow card on his debut last Thursday and you can get 5/2 that he’s booked again and 33/1 that the striker receives a red card.

Over at Ladbrokes, they have created over 100 pre-match markets for the Manchester City v Liverpool match and that includes a market called ‘Coupled Correct Scores’. This is where you can back two correct scores, with Manchester City 1-0 or 2-0 available at 3/1. You can go for 2-0 or 3-0 at 13/2 with Ladbrokes, while Liverpool to win either 2-0 or 3-1 is available at odds of 8/1.

In my opinion, there are only three players who can win this prize next season, providing that they stay with their respective clubs! The first of these is Wayne Rooney who will definitely be a Manchester United player throughout the forthcoming campaign and the 24-year-old will also be eager to put a disappointing World Cup summer firmly behind him.

Until last season, the Red Devils striker was not exactly prolific in front of goal, although 26 league goals for Manchester United illustrates that he has to be seriously considered to win his first Premier League Golden Boot. Stan James and Bet Fred are currently laying Rooney at odds of 11/2 and the England international is going to be a major threat in front of goal now that he’s figured out how to score goals with his head.

A former Manchester United team-mate of Rooney’s could be the biggest threat, someone now plying his trade down the road at Eastlands. Indeed, Carlos Tevez has to be classed as the ‘form horse’ on the Top Goalscorer market after scoring a stack of goals during the second half of last season. Hitting the ground running might see the Argentina international get his nose in front, especially as he will be part of a strengthened Manchester City team that has added Yaya Toure and David Silva to its ranks.

Tevez is a stand-out 14/1 (Bet Fred) to win the Premier League Golden Boot and this looks like tremendous value. Although he has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, it’s unthinkable that City will want to let this quality forward leave and it’s telling that Sky Bet have decided to lay him at odds of just 8/1. It’s hard to believe that the 14/1 will last until the start of the new football season.

However, Rooney and Tevez were left trailing by a Chelsea striker last season and Didier Drogba could be the one who leads the charge this time around. There is a slight doubt whether the striker will remain at Stamford Bridge next season (especially with the player’s agent making strange comments that link him to Manchester City). The Ivorian was just one short of 30 Premier League goals last term and Paddy Power’s 6/1 about him retaining his Golden Boot look tasty.

We shouldn’t forget that Drogba missed several games due to injury last season and was also absent throughout January due to the African Nations Cup. Providing he enjoys an injury-free season, there should be a bounty of chances that fall his way, although he doesn’t take the penalty kicks for the Blues.

Outside of this trio, it’s hard to have confidence in any other player winning the Golden Boot. Stan James have taken a big position on Fernando Torres, offering 8/1 about the Liverpool striker compared to the 9/2 available with Paddy Power. However, the Spaniard doesn’t seem to last a season without getting injured several times and the Reds are going through a transitional period at the moment, even if they did manage to land Joe Cole.

Robin Van Persie (10/1 William Hill) is another player who would be worth a second glance were it not for the fact that he bruises easily, while the best each-way propositions are Darren Bent (20/1 Bet Fred) and Jermain Defoe (20/1 Stan James). It was the former who scored 24 goals to land the each-way money at 40/1 last season.

We already have one team representing South America in the quarter finals to be played on Friday 2nd July and Saturday 3rd July, with Uruguay going through against South Korea in Port Elizabeth. It now falls to the much-fancied Albiceleste to double the continent’s representation in the final eight, with Paraguay, Chile and Brazil still to play.

It’s certainly advantage South America after the group matches, with Chile’s defeat against Spain the first time that a team from that continent has lost a match in South Africa. The bookies are expecting this trend to continue on Sunday evening with their best price of 8/15 (bet365) that Argentina continue their 100% record in this competition by winning at Soccer City.

Diego Maradona’s team have already played a blinder at this ground, thrashing South Korea 4-1 just over a week ago and the manager looks like having every member of his squad available for selection. That means Jonas Gutierrez back from suspension, Javier Mascherano and Angel Di Maria in the middle of the park and Gonzalo Higuain returning in attack. The Real Madrid forward bagged a hat-trick against the Koreans and he’s 4/1 (Victor Chandler) to be first on the scoresheet in this game.

However, the favourite (for the fourth game running) on the First Goalscorer market is Lionel Messi – will the Barcelona forward ever get on to the scoresheet? It’s not that the “world’s best player” has been particularly quiet but more that opposition defenders have crowded him out a la Diego Maradona during the 1990 World Cup. However, if you think that he will draw first blood against the Mexicans, Ladbrokes offer 7/2 that Messi breaks his duck in this competition – something which will doubtless see him run to the manager!

It’s fair to say that Mexico aren’t particularly big fans of Argentina, especially after being eliminated from the 2006 World Cup by the same opposition. Four years ago, El Tri held La Albiceleste to a 1-1 draw only to lose in extra-time and Javier Aguirre would surely be delighted if his team were able to keep things all square after normal time. You can bet 10/3 with Sky Bet that the Mexicans stop this Argentina bandwagon in full flow and a massive 6/1 with bet365 that the central American side produce one of the tournament upsets by landing the spoils.

Mexico are one of the more attractive teams to watch, with the team capable of neat passing and movement which outclassed France during the group stages. There is a huge reliance on the midfield pairing of Gerardo Torrado and Rafael Marquez to stop their opponents playing, although question marks remain over a defence that were hit on the counter against both South Africa and Uruguay.

Hopefully, the manager won’t wonder ‘what if’ by not playing Javier Hernandez in attack. The Manchester United-bound striker might be a relative newcomer to international football, although he demonstrated his prowess with a well-taken goal against France and looks the business at 10/1 (bet365) to score the first goal.