Man City Vs Crystal Palace Betting Tip: Under 3.5 – 17 January 2021

Pep's men can grind down Etihad nemesis

Filip Kostic / Eintracht Frankfurt ©imago images / pool photo December 19, 2020

England Manchester City Vs Crystal Palace England

Sunday 17th January 2021 – 19:15 (kick-off)
English Premier League
Pick: Under 3.5 Goals
Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker: BetFred
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 15th January 2021)

Preview: Once again, Manchester City are firm favourites for a fixture with Crystal Palace at Eithad Stadium. If recent meetings have taught us anything, though, it is that Roy Hodgson’s men should not be taken lightly having earned a 3-2 win and 2-2 draw across their two prior visits to Manchester.

English Premier League Betting at Bet365

 

Manchester City – Impenetrable Citizens soaring towards summit?

After a mixed start when their season belatedly got underway in mid-September at a later date than most, are Pep Guardiola’s Man City (W9 D5 L2) finally approaching something resembling their best? Recent results as well as some stellar performances, in particular their outstanding showing in the 3-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge that should have been by a far bigger margin, would suggest that is the case.

City have now won their past four Premier League matches following Wednesday’s 1-0 win at home to Brighton. They are eight unbeaten overall, conceding only twice while keeping six clean sheets in this timeframe – no team has more, meanwhile, in 2020/21 (8). Defensively, Pep’s men are close to impenetrable right now, while it is no coincidence that seven of their eight league wins have come without conceding.

Recently, though, their record in this particular fixture has been poor with City coming unstuck at the Eithad against Palace in each of the past two campaigns (D1 L1), despite leading in both contests. In his entire managerial career, Pep Guardiola has never gone more than two home games against a specific opponent without beating them and, on current form, that unwanted record should be avoided on Sunday.

 

Man City Win To Nil
5/6

Bet365

 

Crystal Palace – Away failings hurt Etihad chances?

So a rather drab midweek set of Premier League fixtures came to an end with the drabbest contest of them, as Crystal Palace (W6 D5 L7) stretched their unbeaten run in the league to three matches following a goalless draw at Emirates Stadium with Arsenal. The Eagles hit the woodwork and created a number of half chances, while they can take some satisfaction from the fact goalkeeper Vincente Guita was seldom troubled.

On the next one, and rather briskly, as another formidable away day out beckons for Roy Hodgson’s side. At least, it would be for another other team. Perhaps not Palace, though, who can claim to have picked up four points across their previous two visits to Man City, showing tremendous character to fight back from losing positions in both 2018/19 (won 2-3) and 2019/20 (2-2).

Palace can become the first team to win away to both Manchester clubs in the same season since 2008/09. Arsenal being the last side from London to manage it (1990/91). Their record on the road has been mixed though (W3 D2 L4), failing to score in five of eight away outings, while their only away victories since stunning Old Trafford in September have come against struggling Fulham and West Brom.

 

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Manchester City Vs Crystal Palace Betting Advice

In seasons past, this match up would have seemed ripe for another big Man City victory. Not only are Pep’s side more restrained now – only one of their nine league victories this season have been by at least a three goal margin – but Palace have proven competent adversaries in recent times. Roy Hodgson’s men have claimed a 3-2 win as well as a 2-2 draw on their previous two visits to the Etihad.

 

Manchester City Vs Crystal Palace – Key Facts:

  • During Man City’s current eight-match unbeaten league run, the 2018/19 Premier League champions have claimed six wins, scored 15 times and conceded only twice.
  • Crystal Palace could become the first team to win away to both Manchester clubs since 2008/09. They have failed to even score, though, in five of eight away league outings in 2020/21.
  • Man City have registered six wins from their past ten Premier League home games against Crystal Palace, who are, however, unbeaten in the last two (W1 D1).

 

The strength to Man City now lies in their defence rather than their attack. Of their nine Premier League wins this term, eight were without conceding, including all five home victories. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace failed to net in five of nine away league outings so far. The Eagles have, however, conceded no more than once in six of the last eight league games, keeping a clean sheet in each of the last two.

Best Betting Odds – Manchester City Vs Crystal Palace

Manchester City – 1/6 (Unibet)
Draw – 7/1 (PaddyPower)
Crystal Palace – 18/1 (Betfair)