Man City

Manchester City v Napoli Champions League betting sees the welcome return of two sides to Europe’s elite competition. Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City booked their first trip to the Champions League with a third place finish in the Premier League last season, and it has been a very long 43 years since we have seen them compete at this level. Napoli have been in the same boat really, but not for quite as long, as they have been absent from top European competition for 21 years now. So both sides are making their debut in the Champions League format of the European Cup. For City, you have to back, way back to 1968/69 when they played in the European Champions Clubs’ Cup and got knocked out in the first round. Manchester City already look to be building on the massive steps they took forward last year, rattling off four wins from four in the new Premier League season, keeping pace with rivals Manchester United. City, who have been berated over the past couple of years for some negative and unadventurous play, have fired off 15 goals in their four matches so far, making a fantastic start. New summer signing Sergio Aguero looks to already be an extremely profitable move, as the Uruguayan struck a hat trick on the weekend against Wigan. Spaniard David Silva also continues to be a massive influence in the side as well, and even Carlos Tevez got his first start of the season on the weekend. Manchester City look as if they are growing up very fast, and now it will be interesting to see how they cope with the demands of the Champions League. They have drawn a tough group, with Bayern Munich and Villarreal also in the mix in Group A, and that is why it is imperative that City get off to the strongest start possible here. Mancini firmly believes that Manchester City can get even better, so now will be the time to prove it.

They certainly have good depth in their squad, and should be able to cope with the demands, but it is no secret that these tough European matches can be distracting. There are a lot of comparisons to draw between Napoli and Manchester City, as they both have been coming to a boil in their respective domestic leagues. Manchester City have obviously spent big and are only looking ahead, to taste the kinds of success that their city neighbours United have had for so long. They seem as if they are actually now in a position to really be a threat and are trading well in outright betting for the Champions League, and for a first time entrant going off at 11/1 with Boylesports to win the tournament outright, it shows exactly how they are perceived. This of course isn’t City’s sudden drastic re-entry into European competition, as they reached the last 16 of the Europa League last year. They crashed out to Dynamo Kiev after putting up some pretty strong home performances, so that all could well have been a good testing ground for City to take on the Champions League. City do have an impressive run of form at the Stadium of Light, having not lost in twelve European matches played there. While City have not met Napoli ever before, they have had a brief flirtation with Italian opposition, which includes a 1-1 draw with Juventus in last year’s Europa League.

So what of Napoli? Well they haven’t come across English opposition very often in their history, in fact, when they met Liverpool in the Europa League last season, was the first time they had squared off against an English team. They drew 0-0 at home and then lost 3-1 to Liverpool in the group stage of last season’s Europa League. But Napoli really came good in Serie A last year, and with their third place finish, they secured their best league finish for over twenty years. Serie A is one of the last major European Leagues to get underway, and so Napoli have only one match under their belt this season. It was a good one though, as they won away at Cesena 3-1. It was a good start and they looked pretty sharp and dynamic.

Manchester City v Napoli Champions League Betting Odds
Manchester City to win: 2/5 at Totesport
Draw: 4/1 at Paddy Power
Napoli to win: 9/1 at Bet365

Manchester City v Napoli Betting Tip: It is a good fixture for Manchester City to start their Champions League campaign off with, and would pencil them in for a win. They have shown a lot of class up front and the home crowd will want that to continue. Not sure if Mancini is going to play things a little more cautiously in Europe or take a lesson from Tottenham’s debutant efforts last year and simply go for it. Either way, they should win this on home turf. We’ll take a Manchester City 1.5 Asian Handicap for 11/10 at VC Bet.

Group A: Bayern Munich, Villarreal, MAN CITY (11/at Boylesports to win Champions League outright), Napoli

The Club:
After leading the Eastlands side to a good third place in the league, the money that has been invested has at least started to look as if it is on the brink of big rewards. They walked away with the FA Cup and now will be the season when they have to start looking forward to even bigger success. The Premier League. The Champions League. There are new tests ahead for Manchester City and their boss Roberto Mancini. The balancing act of trying to be successful in Europe and on the domestic front is not easy, but City do have a big squad to utilise. Beating Arsenal to the third automatic Champions League place last season was a massive boost, and it came on the back of three straight wins to close out the season. They still will need to prove that they can handle themselves better against the other top sides, but the potential is definitely there. More pressure than ever will now be upon the shoulders of Roberto Mancini to ensure that he gets it all out of them. There will be high focus and low prices on Manchester City Premier League betting at the start of the season.

Players/Manager:
Well, it is back for another crack at the Premier League title for boss Roberto Mancini. He has landed the services of Argentinean striker Sergio Aguero for around £38 million and it is another earmark that the club is still looking forward. The striker was much in demand and although Aguero’s national team mate Diego Forlan stated that the youngster would be better suited to Chelsea, Aguero himself is keen to grow at Manchester City. There is of course the whole Carlos Tevez saga still rumbling on around Man City. It looked more and more likely that last season’s top scorer for the club was going to be making his way to South America with Corinthians, but it all fell though. Tevez, according to his agent, will remain committed fully to Man City’s cause, but rumours are that he still wants away, so we don’t know how much he will be utilised or how game he will really be. The Tevez saga has dominated the headlines out of Eastlands, but of course they still have tremendous firepower there, with Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko to name but a few. They have bolstered their defensive ranks by taking Gael Clichy from Arsenal, which must be a huge blow for the Gunners. City will of course continue to be linked to every name under the sun out there, but there really doesn’t appear to be much more that Mancini can do for the club at the moment. There is a 25 man squad limit of course in the Premier League this season, and with the likes of Adam Johnson, David Silva and James Milner scrapping for places in the side already, they have the squad to go very far. Weigh up the depths of the squads of the top four and Manchester City are in the best position of all of them. That may have to count for big decisions in your Manchester City betting season, and while it comes with pitfalls of player management, it should help deal with injuries and extra fixtures better.

Last Season: 3rd
A third place finish for Manchester City last year, level on points with second placed Chelsea. All in all a very solid showing from City. They weren’t without their critics, because Mancini put his men out in some really dire displays of football. Caution was definitely the key word of the day, as they would keep things tight and hope for a very Italian beautiful goal to win the game. That was the general pattern, and while success was coming it was coming at a price. Will City be more expansive this time around, or will City bore their way to the Premier League title, just like Chelsea did under Jose Mourinho?

2011/12 Manchester City Premier League Betting Projection:
Well Manchester City definitely have the squad. There is no question of that. There is always the question of having to rotate players and keep everyone happy, but in the end, Mancini handled it all pretty well last season. It was far from being a perfect season, but it was a step in the right direction and that can’t be denied. It is unlikely that Mancini can afford just to equal his success, he must do better, and gun hard for the title. When City did open up last year, especially after the turn of the New Year, their defence kind of fell apart. They had been matching Chelsea well in the defensive department, but suddenly it all went to pieces. City though have options up front to compensate, but they need to be smarter in terms of tactics and finding that balance. Hopefully we will see a bit more attractive football from them, because all of the money spent shouldn’t be to bore their own fans. That will be the once criticism from them from last year, that they did not go in for the kill often enough when they should have. They were not brave enough in countless situations (remember the Manchester derby yawn-fest) and simply not savvy enough. Maybe that will all be worked out with time, but Mancini somehow needs to keep a solid side going and not get suckered into too many changes. There is the added imposition of the Champions League for City this time around, so that is extra fixtures for the key players. How will Mancini handle that? Very interesting season ahead for City, one in which they must deliver.

Finishing Position: Title Contenders

Premier League Winner Odds:
9/2 at William Hill

First Three Fixtures
August 15th: Man City v Swansea
August 21st: Bolton v Man City
August 28th: Tottenham v Man City

BACK TO 2011/12 PREMIER LEAGUE BETTING GUIDE
 

Saturday 12^th February

English Premier League

Manchester United v Manchester City

The second Manchester derby of the season takes place on Saturday at Old Trafford with both sides occupying top four positions.

Manchester United suffered their first defeat in the league this season when they lost away to Wolves last weekend. It was a surprise to everyone, not least because their opponents were actually bottom of the table when they met, but also because it looked as though United were beginning to hit top form after impressive wins over Aston Villa and Blackpool which came as part of a 10 wins in 12 games in all competitions. Sir Alex Ferguson will have harboured hopes of going the full season unbeaten and emulating the great ‘Untouchables’ side of Arsenal, but he’s only too well aware that the main goal of this season was to regain the title from Chelsea and they are still well on course to do this with a four point lead over second placed Arsenal. Saturday’s match should hold little fear for United as although they may have lost their unbeaten record for the season, they still remain undefeated at Old Trafford with an imperious record of 12 wins and one draw from their 13 matches played. It really is a daunting prospect for any visiting side.

Man City have flattered to deceive at times this season and been awful to watch on others which has brought with it much deserved criticism. Just when you think they are going to put a run of results together and really challenge for the title, they stumble. Roberto Mancini has maintained all along that their am for this season was to finish in the Champions League places and compete in Europe’s Premier club competition the following year – and then progress to title challengers. Whether that’s what he’s really believed or it’s just what he lets on to the public is another matter altogether. Any manager who has a squad which cost the money his did, must have some sort of title aspiration. I tend to think that he has targeted the Championship but has simply come up a little short. Currently six points off United, having played a game more, they’re not out of it completely, but they are certainly up against it and have to avoid defeat on Saturday at their arch rivals stomping ground.

The cornerstone of United’s success this season has been the defence, especially the central partnership of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. The duo have been formidable for the league leaders and they look set to take their places again at 12.45 on Saturday afternoon. They will have to be on their game however as they come up against an old foe in former United player Carlos Tevez. The City captain has enjoyed a tremendous season to date and is easily his club’s most important player. With 18 league goals to his name already, he will be at the centre of anything positive coming from the away side.

Derbies are notoriously difficult to predict as the form book really does go out the window with so much at stake. City have tended to take a more defensive approach when up against the bigger clubs this term. Having already drawn 0-0 with both United at home and Arsenal away, the smart money is probably on a similar approach this weekend. Whether they do or not is immaterial in my view. United may have had a slip up last Saturday on their travels but their home form has been excellent of late and Wayne Rooney is beginning to hit top form. Home win.

My Selection: Manchester United to beat Manchester City

Best odds available: 4/5 available with Coral

English Championship

Hull City v Preston North End

Phil Brown returns to the KC Stadium to take on Hull City, a club he got promoted to the Premier League, with his new side Preston North End – who could be playing in League One next season.

Hull City are finally beginning to put a run of results together after the upheaval of relegation last season. A whole load of players were moved on and slowly but surely, Nigel Pearson is beginning to reconstruct a squad of players which he believes can restore the good times to Humberside. Currently slap bang in mid-table, the Tigers are just seven points off of a play-off position despite a pretty ordinary start to the season. However a run of just one defeat from 14 league games had provided them with a decent opportunity to challenge for promotion, as competitive as it is. One man who has really brought a feel good factor to the club is Matty Fryatt. The striker followed Pearson from Leicester to Hull in the January transfer window and has brought with him some much needed goals. He has netted six goals in as many matches, including a hat-trick in Hull’s last match, a 5-1 win over Scunthorpe.

Preston are in deep trouble as they currently sit rooted to the foot of the table and 10 points off safety. Having sacked Darren Ferguson earlier in the season, they entrusted Phil Brown with the task of saving their Championship status. Five games on since taking charge of the club, Brown is still searching for his first win and Preston are still looking like a side very much destined for the drop. Brown has managed a couple of decent draws at home to Leicester and away to Middlesbrough but confidence is at a real low. Last weekend’s 4-0 home defeat to Bristol City was just another in a long line of losses, but it was also the first real hammering of Brown’s reign and very much removed any of the feel good factor which his arrival would have brought. Their last win was on the 11^th of December, two months ago now. The longer it goes without another, the harder it is to find one.

Hull have managed to strengthen during January with Aaron McLean also joining Fryatt at the club. It has really improved City’s attacking options. At the other end of the park the loan signing of Brad Guzan has meant they can rely on a quality keeper which makes a world of difference for everyone in the side, especially the defenders. Preston haven’t been so lucky. Whilst Hull have benefited from being taken over, North End have not had that luxury. They have, however, managed to prise Ian Ashbee from tomorrow’s opponents as he once again links up with Phil Brown.

Form may not always work out in the Championship but the stats on this game all point towards a home win. Preston have not won away from home since September, a run of eight games. I can’t see them getting anything tomorrow with Hull City’s strikers on such good form.

My Selection: Hull City to beat Preston North End

Best odds available: 4/6 available with Betfred

English League One

Huddersfield v Oldham

The two form sides in League One meet tomorrow as Huddersfield play host to Oldham as the two continue their quest for promotion.

Lee Clark’s side missed out in the play-off semi finals last season and were desperate to rectify their failure by going straight up this time around. Just four points off top, they stand an excellent chance of gaining automatic promotion. Like every successful team their home form is pretty sound and they are difficult to beat on their own ground. This has been the case for a while at Huddersfield; a bigger problem was their lack of points on the road. They won only nine games away from home last season, with six wins to their credit already, they should comfortably surpass that this season. Their recent form overall has been excellent as they are undefeated in eight League One games, winning six of them.

Oldham have not been involved in the promotion picture for a long time so it’s testament to the job currently being done by Paul Dickov. Even though it’s his first job in management, the former Scottish Internationalist striker has taken to it like a duck to water. His side are currently in the final play-off position, five points off tomorrow’s opponents. Like Huddersfield, the Latics are also on a very good run of form with just one defeat in seven matches. In such a competitive and tight division, that is certainly no mean feat. Oldham’s away form has been pretty balance with four wins, give draws and four defeats, but they are certainly no pushovers on the road as they have already taken points off of Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday and Rochdale.

Tomorrow’s match, as well as being a derby of sorts, is a real yardstick to how far Oldham have come in recent months. Huddersfield have been a strong side in League One for a few years now so Dickov will be aware of the test that awaits his side. I just feel that this game may just be edged by the home side who have been scoring goals for fun of late with nine goals in their last three games. I can see it being entertaining but with Huddersfield coming out on top.

My Selection: Huddersfield to beat Oldham

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Totesport

Now which Manchester City will get on the coach and head to Notts County. City, while pushing hard at the top of the Premier League, and showing some very impressive away form this season, came completely unravelled when they lost 1-0 at Villa Park in the Premier League last weekend. They just lacked a killer punch really, which isn’t often said when Carlos Tevez is on the pitch. City are paired with the League One side, and really will be favourites to go through, but they will need to be much sharper and more clinical than they were against Villa. City though have done so well in the Premier League away from home, simply because they have been so incredibly tough to break down, thanks to their defensive set up. However, they have been leaking goals lately, and boss Roberto Mancini will want to get through this match without any scares. They go into the match without Adam Johnson, who is nursing a bit of an ankle injury, and City have a strong unbeaten run of nine matches against Notts County in all competitions. They haven’t played each other since 2001 mind you, and with the money spent at Eastlands, they are even stronger. So can Notts County put up anything of fight, perhaps inspired by Southampton’s efforts against Manchester United.

They aren’t going into the match in any great form, losing all three of their last league matches. Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince is the man at the helm at County, and has only been in charge for fifteen matches now. Not a spectacular record, but not a bad one, and with them having nothing to lose against City, with people expecting them to be on the end of a thumping, they should be able to play without any fear, as Ince puts it. That could make it an entertaining match, but if chances fall City’s way, then you would have to back them to put them away. Edin Dzeko will make his FA Cup debut, and could well be amongst the goals for City. City have been in good form, and are challenging on the domestic and European fronts. They will have just too much class at the end of the day, and I may not be the romp that is expected, because that really isn’t City’s style, but they have proven this season that they know how to go away and do a thoroughly professional job.

Notts County to win: 7/1 at Bet365
Draw: 15/4 at Boylesports
Manchester City to win: 4/9 at BetFred

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Aston Villa v Manchester City Betting Tip & Odds: Manchester City are favourites and rightly so. They have had to take the back seat to Villa in terms of spending at the moment, but they will be the happier team. They are growing stronger all the time, and showing off their title credentials, especially on the road. They are just solid in the midfield and at the back (apart from a couple of recent rush of goals conceded), and with Tevez scoring freely and taking chances, they will continue to get better now Dzeko is there. Will Darren Bent make a different to Villa? In the long run maybe, as they are crying out for a genuine goalscorer. They aren’t good enough at the back though and half a chance is all that City need to close out a game. City have won the last two meetings between the sides convincingly. Worth a Manchester City -1 11/5 Asian Handicap for 11/5 at Bet365

Aston Villa to win: 11/4 at Boylesports
Draw: 12/5 at BetFred
Manchester City to win: 23/20 at William Hill

EPL Match Preview: Well, this could be the match of two new signings up front really. Aston Villa have landed the services of England striker Darren Bent, in a surprise move from Sunderland. Bent dropped from a top six club to a relegation threatened team, but the striker said that he understands Villa are in a false position and he has a chance to really spearhead a new revolution at Villa Park under Gerard Houllier. The Frenchman has broken the Aston Villa spending record in getting Bent from Sunderland, but the Black Cats boss Steve Bruce hasn’t been particularly happy about the way Houllier went about his business in getting Bent to move. Naturally Bruce would be a bit aggrieved at losing a player who has consistently found the back of the net for Sunderland, and it really must be doubly bitter to see Bent leave at a time when Sunderland are actually doing pretty well. Anyway, back to the matter at hand, and that is Aston Villa’s safety in the Premier League. Darren Bent is primed and ready to go for his new club, and he will be charged with the responsibility of breaking down one of the best defences in the league. Gerard Houllier hasn’t stopped the spending, grasping the opportunity to put his own identity on the team at last, with Jean Makoun waiting for clearance to play. Houllier also gets back Ashley Young  into the side.

Villa haven’t been good at all, it’s fair to say, and over their last ten Premier League matches, they have won just once, a Midlands derby at home against West Brom. The problem with Villa is that their defence can rarely stand up to any kind of attack, and they have leaked 39 goals this season, the second highest amount in the Premier League. They have also had their problems up front, with a very lean attack, and wide man Stuart Downing is top scorer with just 5 goals. It highlights a lot of the problems at Villa Park, but with the experience Houllier can bring to the table, and with a big of cash in the right place, Villa should be ok. They have actually played some attractive football, but they have been just too lightweight up front and too disorganized at the back. The arrival of Bent should at least cure one of those problems, and he will fit into quite a young Aston Villa side, which means that there is a lot of potential and ambition surrounding the club. Villa need to find a way to keep some clean sheets, starting right here, or else they are not going to be in this match at all, not with the threat up front Manchester City are now carrying with their new signing.

That signing is Edin Dzeko from Wolfsburg. He has already has his run out in Manchester City colours, and paired up front with Carlos Tevez, the blue half of Manchester suddenly carry a lot more attacking threat. Bizarrely though, now they are more threatening up front, something has happened at the back, and their highly impressive defence has been breached five times in the past two matches (one league and one FA Cup game). It started with a thrilling 4-3 win over Wolves really and that is the most important one, as we’re focusing on league form. Prior to that City had notched up three clean sheets, and while City conceding more than two goals in a match is not going to break out too often, it means they are going to continue to be a threat at the top of the Premier League. They have won four of their last five league matches now, a negative display, much in the defensive mould we have seen them in this season, ending in a 0-0 draw at Arsenal the only disturbance on that run of form. City are level with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League, but have played two games more. All they can do is keep on winning and hope United slip up somewhere down the line. Can City win this one? Yes, because they have shown that they really know how to get the job done on the road in the league this season, suffering only two losses. They are undefeated in their last six away matches, and are steadily showing that they are coming together as title contenders.

City will be bolstered by the return of Nigel de Jong, Gareth Barry and Kolo Toure, along with Edin Dzeko after they all missed the FA Cup win over Leicester in the week. There’s no Mario Balotelli though, as he is still out injured, but that hasn’t stopped him stirring up Manchester United and Barcelona and Jose Mourinho in his unabashed confident manner. It was Balotelli who netted a hat trick when City met Villa at Eastlands at the end of December. That match ended up 4-0 and Villa simply weren’t in the game. WE really should expect more of the same, and Carlos Tevez is still in the form of his life. Clearly one of the best players in the Premier League by a country mile, and now that he has a new strike partner with a formidable goal scoring record in Dzeko, City could go from strength to strength, and as for poor Villa, well their big splash into the January transfer market could all get washed away under a cloud of not being able to pick up any points at home on Bent’s debut.

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Aston Villa v Manchester City Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Man City 4, Aston Villa 0
Manchester 3, Aston Villa 1
Aston Villa 1, Man City 1
Man City 2, Aston Villa 0
Aston Villa 4, Man City 2

Aston Villa have an 36% win percentage at home in the league this season
Manchester City have a 55% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Aston Villa are on a streak of 2 home matches with no win
Manchester City are on a streak of 6 away matches with no defeat

Aston Villa have scored 15 goals, and conceded 13 at home
Manchester City have scored 19 and conceded 9 goals in their away matches

Aston Villa average 1.3 goals per match at home this season
Manchester City average 1.7 goals per match away from home this season

Aston Villa have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Manchester City have scored the majority of their goals in the 0-15. 46-60 and 61-75 minute brackets

Aston Villa have opened the scoring in 45% of their matches
Manchester City have scored first in 60% of their matches

Aston Villa 2010/11 top scorer: Downing, 5
Manchester City 2010/11 top scorer: Tevez, 14

Aston Villa 2010/11 Season Form: P22 W5 D7 L10 GF24 GA39 Pts 22 (17th)
Manchester City 2010/11 Season Form: P23 W13 D6 L4 GF37 GA19 Pts 45 (2nd)

Arsenal v Manchester City Betting Tip & Odds: Arsenal thrashed City 3-0 at Eastlands earlier in the season. Arsenal have a massive 63% win percentage against Manchester City at home. Although Arsenal have slipped at home this season, you still primarily see them as the most likely team to win this one. Manchester City will come and defend and hope for a bit of brilliance from someone, whereas from Arsenal, you expect brilliance from all over their forward ranks. That’s the difference. It is tough to see Manchester City really having enough of the ball to put a less than perfect Arsenal defence under enough pressure in the match, whereas Arsenal will enjoy pulling the City players all over the place. City are fully capable of a draw though, but we are going to cover the options on a strong Arsenal performance an Asian Handicap bet. Arsenal -0.75 Asian Handicap for 5/4 at Paddy Power is very good value, giving a half win for a one goal winning margin, and a full win for a two goal winning margin for the home side.

Arsenal to win: 20/21 at Boylesports
Draw: 11/4 at BetFred
Manchester City to win: 10/3 at Victor Chandler

EPL Match Preview: Would it be wrong to promote this match as the battle for second place? Well, let’s face it, both are struggling to catch United, as both teams have played more games than the leaders, and both have failed to take top spot from them. Anyway, this is a huge match, and one that is going to be met with a lot of anticipation. Arsenal of course have been part of the big four in England, but now with the demise of Liverpool, Manchester City have bullied their way into what was an exclusive party. Arsenal have continued to be one of the main challengers for the title, but they have had some blips along the way, ones which may just suggest that they are not ready to win the title yet. But, arguably, after watching all the teams in the Premier League title race, it is not hard to say that Arsenal are the best team there. They are the best footballing team hands down. No-one can match them in terms of control, creativity and passing ability, but all too often their spine has just been a little bit soft and they have been bossed out of games. It has happened this season to them, where they have lost three home matches, plus when they went to Old Trafford, they were like deer in the headlights and completely froze on the big occasion. However, that actually seemed to do them some good, as they rallied in their next game to really put Chelsea to the sword at the Emirates stadium, clinically finishing off their London rivals by a 3-1 scoreline. They then went to Wigan and slipped to a 2-2 draw, but in a really tough, tricky away match at Birmingham, who had just held Manchester United to a draw, Arsenal showed immense character and toughness to come away with a 3-0 scoreline.

That was a big mark on Arsenal’s season. Why? Because they actually showed that they can be a tough side, and mix it with the best. It was, in ways, a battling and bruising affair at St Andrews, but Arsenal did everything right. They fought hard, and still had the quality to finish off their opponents. If they can keep that going for the rest of the season, they will push United all the way. However, as good as that result was, there are still some frailties which will probably hold them back. They are not the strongest side at the back, and they can get flustered and bothered when teams get at them, especially in the air. They still need a world class goalkeeper between the sticks, because that would save them a lot of points over the season. They would be in a better position now probably if they had had that extra quality from the start. However, it is hard to knock a side which play football the right way. They play in a positive manner, like to stroke the ball around in pretty patterns, and like to clinically cut through the opposition like surgeons. That is their strength, and that is why they are going to beat Manchester City. There is a brave statement, but it is the outcome which should happen. You may recall the match back in October of last year when the two sides met, Arsenal were head and shoulders better than their opponents at Eastlands, and breezed away with a 3-0 victory. That was because Arsenal possess something which Manchester City do not. A positive football attitude. Arsenal, thanks to Arsene Wenger, seem to realise that the more goals you score, the harder it is going to be for the opposition to win. That is why they are not afraid to get forward, that is why they have an abundance of creative power in the centre of the park, and lethal finishers up front.

Arsene Wenger has fallen into the mode of shuffling his squad around. He pulled Arshavin and Chamakh from the starting line up against Chelsea for example, and then used Arshavin and Bentdner at Wigan, and both found the back of the net. At Birmingham, Robin Van Persie rattled in a goal, along with the in form Samir Nasri. Arsenal just have goals from all over the park, and they have the strongest attacking force, in depth, in the Premier League. Their defence however, needs a bit of stiffening up, but they managed to cope with City well enough when they met them earlier in the season. Manchester City at times this season have been the polar opposite of Arsenal. They are extremely hesitant to throw bodies forward, and they are happy sucking the life out of the opposition and then hitting them on the break. Boss Roberto Mancini certainly has had his critics this year, but his style seems to be working for them. They are two points ahead of Arsenal, albeit having played one game more, and their defence really is to be applauded. It is so good in fact, it can be called the best in the Premier League as it has conceded the fewest amount of goals. However, this defensive staunchness really has come at the cost of style and flair, and if you are watching football, which would you prefer to see?

Perhaps victory at any cost is a victory. Anyway, Manchester City are doing something right, and their defensive set up has worked incredibly well away from home, where they have just as good of a record as they do at home. That is something which is impressive and is carrying their season. They are currently on a roll of three straight wins in the Premier League over this busy festive period, and more importantly perhaps, in those three matches, Manchester City have scored eight goals. Carlos Tevez did the damage in a 3-1 win at Newcastle, while Mario Balotelli hit a hat trick in a 4-0 drubbing of Aston Villa. It was then England winger Adam Johnson’s turn to grab the limelight with the solitary goal against Blackpool on New Years day. Maybe the dust has settled from the fallout of the Carlos Tevez transfer saga. Maybe in a way it pulled everything together, with the captain deciding to stay, it may have instilled a sense of calm in the dressing room. Who knows? Certainly Balotelli still seems to have maturity issues, and David Villa has forgotten where the goal is, an Emmanuel Adebayor is rapidly becoming a forgotten man, things are not all that settled at City, but they are winning. That is five wins out of their last six matches now, with only a home slip up against Everton to blight their copy book. That has been their only defeat in eleven matches now in the Premier League. Maybe the defensive first approach does have its merits. The big question is though, will it be enough to contain the powerful threats of Arsenal at home?

The feeling is, is that Manchester City are going to be defensive. That’s their nature. But Arsenal have the craft to tear them apart, and once City get themselves behind, will they have enough to fight back? To fight back they will need to be more open at the back, and that is just what Arsenal want. This is why it is hard to see City having quite the right set up to beat Arsenal at the Emirates. They could be well worthy of a draw, because they could turn up and stifle the Gunners, but Arsenal have only failed to score in one of their home matches this season. When it comes down to it, it is hard to see Manchester City outscoring Arsenal and really that is the crux of this match. It actually has potential to be firecracker, just as the Arsenal v Chelsea match recently was (for the most part). This is another huge test for Manchester City, to prove that they are genuine title contenders. There is still a long way in the season to go for the men from Eastlands, and there is a lot at stake here. A win would put them four points clear of Arsenal, and keep them in touch with rivals Manchester United. A win for Arsenal would put City down into third place and having played a game more the Gunners. For the Premier League title chase to stay alive at this point, the neutral will be egging on an Arsenal win, Manchester City are a good away side though, but maybe just not good enough to contain the craft of Arsenal, so that is why a home win should be take some precedence with your betting.

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Arsenal v Manchester City Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Manchester City 0, Arsenal 3
Arsenal 0, Manchester City 0
Manchester City 4, Arsenal 2
Arsenal 2, Manchester City 0
Manchester City 3, Arsenal 0

Arsenal have an 67% win percentage at home in the league this season
Manchester City have a 60% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Arsenal are on a streak of nine home matches with no draw
Manchester City are on a streak of five away matches with no defeat

Arsenal have scored 22 goals, and conceded 11 at home
Manchester City have scored 19 and conceded 9 goals in their away matches

Arsenal average 2.44 goals per match at home this season
Manchester City average 1.9 goals per match away from home this season

Arsenal have scored the bulk of their goals in the 46-60 and 76-90 minute brackets
Manchester City have scored the majority of their goals in the 0-15 minute bracket

Arsenal have opened the scoring in 65% of their matches
Manchester City have scored first in 66% of their matches

Arsenal 2010/11 top scorer: Nasri, 9
Manchester City 2010/11 top scorer: Tevez, 12

Arsenal 2010/11 Season Form: P20 W12 D3 L5 GF42 GA22 Pts 39 (3rd)
Manchester City 2010/11 Season Form: P21 W12 D5 L4 GF33 GA16 Pts 41 (2nd)

Manchester City v Salzburg Europa League Betting Tip & Odds: This match isn’t going to stir up a great deal of emotion, but it should end in a home win without much doubt. City are at full strength, but it won’t be a prime starting eleven that takes to the field against Salzburg. You just want to see City cut loose and be a little more adventurous, to get into a more attacking mindset. Certainly time is needed to pull a strong squad into a strong team, but this is the type of game from which a lot of confidence can be built. However, City really don’t look to have that many goals in them, but going for a good, solid Manchester City to win by 2 goals: 3/1 at Bet365

Manchester City to win: 2/9 at SkyBet
Draw: 11/2 at Victor Chandler
Salzburg: 14/1 at Bet365

Manchester City will look to bounce back from a tough defeat away to Lech Poznan on match day four of the Europa League. That disappointing result cost Manchester City top spot in the group, and now need a win to get themselves back on track at the top. They are back at Eastlands on Wednesday, as they welcome the challenge of Red Bull Salzburg. After failing to pick up a win again in the Premier League on the Wednesday, in which they played out a 1-1 draw with Stoke, City have now drawn three of their last five Premier League matches. They still are not cutting loose and showing that clinical, ruthless edge which they should have up font. While boss Roberto Mancini is quite happy with the progress, albeit slow progress, that Manchester City are showing, he is showing no signs that he is ready to chance his cautious, defensive ways. That may just prove to be the right thing to do in European competition. They did come unstuck in Poznan on their last European match, but that really should be a minor concern and will be forgotten about at the end of Wednesday night, as long as they secure a healthy win.

There is a pretty much a full, healthy squad that Mancini can select from, but the side will take on a different look from the regular Premier League. This should be a comfortable home win for Manchester City, as they produced a good result away in Austria at the start of the campaign. There is a busy month ahead though for City, so Mancini will probably hold some of the key players back from this one. It could be a starting place for Emmanuel Adebayor though, who is reportedly fit again from injury. There is speculation surrounding Adebayor and a move away from Manchester City, with Tottenham apparently leading the hunt for his services. A win for City would put them through to the knockout phase, with just one more match to come in the group, a trip to Juventus on December 16th. Manchester City may not be producing the kind of performances one would expect from a team of high expectancy, but they are generally getting the job done. There should not be any problems against Salzburg who sit bottom of the Europa League group.

Even though Mancini will ring the changes, it should be a decent Manchester City, one far too strong for the Austrian visitors anyway. City’s defence hasn’t been particular stand out good in the Europa League so far, conceding five goals in their three matches. Still, getting through to the knockout stage, the business end of the European tournament is all that matters. It is hard to see Manchester City taking to the field and running riot in demolishing a team. You get the feeling that everybody at the club (perhaps not the fans) would be more than content with a one goal winning margin. This match really isn’t going to register much on the future interests of Manchester City and their ambitions, so it will be about getting the job done, with little fuss, and no major injuries to players. December will be a real test of Manchester City’s credentials both on the home front and in Europe. They can start it all off with a solid home victory over Salzburg on Wednesday.

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)

Online betting tips and odds for Manchester City v Lech Poznan, Europa League, Thursday October 21st. Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City will look to take a firm group of Group A in the Europa League, with a win over leaders Lech Poznan. While this is the first time that the two clubs have met in Europe, Man City are currently on a run of four drawn matches against Polish opposition. That stretches back a long way of course, but it is an interesting football betting stat for Man City v Lech Poznan to take notice of. After holding Italian giants Juventus to 1-1 draw in their last Europa League match, City have set themselves up perfectly to take charge of the group, for a win will put them in a strong position, three points clear of Thursday’s opposition, and depending on how Juventus do against Salzburg, City could gain a huge advantage. This feels like it could be the important turning point in the group, and a big chance for City to impress. The blues picked up a vital away win over Blackpool in the Premier League on the weekend, which elevated them into second place. That was a huge confidence booster and now City will look to capitalise on the one win and the one draw which they have picked up in the Europa League so far. In Europa League betting, Man City are down as the outright favourites to win the tournament, and can currently be taken for a price of 5/1 at 888Sport. That actually represents a pretty strong bet, as while Man City don’t yet seem to have the overwhelming fire power that they should have, boss Mancini adopts to the right cautious attitude which will probably serve well in Europe.

Man City v Lech Poznan Europa League Betting Odds

Man City to win: 5/19 at Unibet
Draw: 11/2 at Blue Square
Lech Poznan: 12/1 at Bet365

Lech Poznan also held Juventus to a draw, in a gripping 3-3 tie in Italy. They backed that up with a 2-0 home win over Salzburg, which has left them level on points. This group was supposed to be all about City and Juventus, but Poznan are really mixing things up very well in there. The only time that Lech Poznan have played in England before, was back in 1984/85 when they faced Liverpool at Anfield in a 4-0, in the European Cup. After bagging a hat trick against Juventus, Lech’s Artjoms Rednevs is the competition’s top scorer, so the City defence will have to keep a sharp eye on him. For your Man City v Lech Poznan betting, you really need to be backing the home team. You have to believe that City have what it takes to edge towards top spot in the group. They are on an eight match unbeaten run at the City of Manchester Stadium in European matches, and overall, haven’t lost in Europe for five matches. That signifies the growing strength of City as a force on both the domestic and European fronts. Can they break their drawing streak against Polish sides? There is a battling grit and determination about Poznan, highlighted perfectly in the away draw at Juve. City start this match as favourites though and with Carlos Tevez in the form that he is, anything less than a City win will be unexpected. If you want to err on the side of caution, then you will be best served looking at draw options, as history does point to that. The other thing which will back a draw, is City’s less than prolific goal scoring record. They are tight enough at the back not to be outscored at home though.

Manchester City v Lech Poznan Betting Tips

The online bookmakers have the Man City v Lech Poznan betting as leaning towards a big, comfortable win for the home side. It is a little hard to see it being that prolific really, so would lean towards City edging it by only a goal or two. Here are some of the best betting tips for your football betting.

Draw/Man City Halftime/Fulltime Bet: 7/2 at Boylesports

Lech Poznan +1.75 Asian Handicap 23/20 at Bodog

Man City to win by 1 Goal: 3/1 at SkyBet
Man City to win by 2 Goals: 3/1 at Bet365

Anytime Goalscorer Odds
Carlos Tevez : 3/4 at Unibet
Emmanuel Adebayor: Evens at SkyBet
David Silva: 7/4 at Bet365
Artjoms Rudnevs: 5/1 at William Hill