Manchester City v Chelsea Betting Tip Manchester City (-1) – 24 February 2019

City to dominate Chelsea once again

FA Cup & League Cup Tips

EnglandManchester City v ChelseaEngland
Sunday 24th February 1630rs 
Football – England – EFL Cup
Pick Manchester City -1
Bookmaker Betfair
Odds: 13/8 (odds taken 15.00 GMT, Saturday 23d February)

The first piece of silverware in England is up for grabs on Sunday as two of the country’s powerhouses go head to head, however on all recent evidence Manchester City are big favourites to get the better of Chelsea and retain the trophy they won last season.

League Cup Betting at Betfair

Manchester City Preview

This was the first trophy Pep Guardiola won as Manchester City manager and he’s looking to Sunday’s final with a hope of making it three wins out of four in the League/EFL Cup. The two finals previous to this one have been very different having required penalties to beat Liverpool in 2016 before thrashing Arsenal 12 months ago in a one-sided final that ended 3-0. City’s route to this year’s Wembley showpiece has been pretty straightforward on the whole. Comfortable wins away to Oxford and at home to Fulham in the early rounds was followed by their most nervy moment in this year’s competition when being taken to penalties away to Leicester. That was the second year running they’ve had to overcome the Foxes on spot-kicks in the League Cup and they will be hoping that it’s a sign of what’s to come this weekend. There’s no doubting Guardiola’s men were given the more favourable pairing in the semi-final when drawn against League Two Burton Albion where there was such a gulf in class between the clubs over the two legs, indicated by the 10-0 aggregate score. It should, and almost certainly will, be a much closer contest against Chelsea on Sunday but considering City put six past this opponent without reply as recently as a fortnight ago that may well be up for debate.

 

Key-Facts – Manchester City v Chelsea

  • Chelsea are out to avenge the 6-0 defeat they suffered at the hands of City two weeks ago
  • Guardiola has won this competition in two of his three seasons at City
  • Manchester City have won 26 of their 42 games this season by at least two goals

 

Chelsea Preview

Reaching a final within the first year of managing at a new club, in a new country would ordinarily be seen as a good achievement and something to build on. That is the case for most clubs but Chelsea are not most clubs and recent form has completely overshadowed the positive of making it to Wembley on Sunday. Maurizio Sarri has come under huge pressure following some diabolical displays, emphasised even more so with his stubbornness to adapt or change his philosophy. The 4-0 loss at Bournemouth, the 6-0 thrashing against City and then the lifeless 2-0 home defeat to Manchester United on Monday which seen them eliminated from the FA Cup mean that the club’s supporters are beginning to turn on the former Napoli boss. The Blues have had a much tougher route to the final than City having knocked out Liverpool at Anfield and been run close at home to both Derby County and Bournemouth. Sarri’s men also had to get by Tottenham in their two-legged semi-final – something they eventually managed by virtue of winning a penalty shootout. Looking at the run alone then you would definitely have them in with a shout of winning on Sunday but it is impossible to forget how they have capitulated in recent weeks and still have any confidence of them turning in a performance in, here.

Manchester City v Chelsea Betting Preview

How much can change in the space of two weeks? Well, in football, we know the answer to that question is plenty and everybody associated with Chelsea will be hoping that’s the case as they look to avoid another embarrassment at the hands of Manchester City. And it will have to as well considering the seismic gap that existed when they last met. For City, this is the first opportunity for them to clinch what they hope will be one of four trophies in their pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple.

Chelsea can look to both their performances in the League Cup up until this point and the 2-0 win over City they secured at home in the league back in December in an attempt to bolster their confidence. It’s an uphill task, however, and City have looked very good at times in 2019 plus their record in this competition under Guardiola is excellent. Sarri looks so rigid in his approach with the Chelsea team that I cannot see anything other than another City win and for them to do so with a bit to spare by winning by at least two goals.