Manchester City v Chelsea
Sunday 10th February 1600hrs
Football – England – Premier League
Pick Manchester City to win to nil
Bookmaker Coral
Odds: 43/25 (odds taken 13.45 GMT, Saturday 8th February)
The Premier League title race continues to excite and intrigue and the next instalment of it takes place at the Etihad on Sunday as Manchester City host Chelsea.
Premier League Betting at Marathon Bet
Manchester City Preview
City have responded well to that defeat to Newcastle with wins over Arsenal and Everton that moved them temporarily back to the top of the table. They have a chance to go back ahead of Liverpool should they win at home to Chelsea on Sunday and it’s looking like that will be the sort of title race we’re in for – when one team takes a slight advantage the other is challenged to tighten it up once again. The win over Everton was as good an away performance as City have produced for a long time in that they were much more solid defensively and even though they had to wait until the closing stages to seal the game, the three points were never really in doubt even when the game was 1-0. Pep Guardiola will be looking for that level of maturity and control for the remainder of the season and it will be needed. It’s been their away from which has given hope to Liverpool (and potentially Spurs) that they can finish above them. Crystal Palace remain the only team who have taken points from them at the Etihad and Guardiola is likely to bring pack in both Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne who started from the bench against Everton as City look to utilise their big squad in what is a hectic part of the season that will only get busier if the champions continue to progress in both the Champions League and FA Cup.
Key-Facts – Manchester City v Chelsea
- City know only a win will be enough to take them back above Liverpool into first place
- Chelsea have been blighted by inconsistency but the 2-0 win over City at home proves they are capable
- Chelsea have scored just one goal in their last four away games
Chelsea Preview
It’s difficult what to make of Chelsea but this season has probably been indicative of how the club has progressed over the past few seasons – the sublime mixed with the ridiculous. Maurizo Sarri was always going to need time to implement his way of playing and buying the personnel he needs in order to play that style effectively. That’s what we’ve seen so far in his maiden campaign in England as his Blues team struggle to find the consistency required to stay closer to the top three, but also that they are more than capable on their day. City and Guardiola know that only too well having lost at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season in what was probably Chelsea’s best performance under Sarri. Defeats such as the 4-0 to Bournemouth late last month also suggests that they have an awful long way to go, still, and the Italian coach was quick to point that out in the aftermath. It’s looking likely that Chelsea will be in a battle with Manchester United and Arsenal for the fourth and final Champions League spot and courtesy of playing on Sunday, after both their rivals, they could find themselves outside the top four and required a result at the home of the champions.
Manchester City v Chelsea Betting Preview
These are two of the Premier League heavyweights and when games such as these come along we know anything can happen. City are without doubt much more capable over the course of a 38 game season but as Chelsea proved back in December when deservedly beating the Champions 2-0, this is team who on their day can be a match for anybody. The big issues for the Blues is replicating that home form on their travels. They’ve now lost their last three away games in all competitions without scoring a goal. The arrival of Gonzalo Higuain may help with that but the early indication is they have more issues than just the central striking position when playing away from Stamford Bridge.
City looked to be more pragmatic in their win over Everton and defended better. As Arsenal proved last weekend they can still be got at, at home and they don’t keep many clean sheets at the Etihad in the league (just four all season) but this is the sort of game where they will be concentrated on getting the win against a dangerous opponent. The visitors are a different team on the road and have lacked any real belief or threat in recent weeks so take the home team to win without conceding.
