By the time that Manchester City line up for this Sunday kick-off (11am ET; 4pm BST), they may just need a win to successfully defend their Premier League title. While they could already be champions-elect, Pep’s men can retain the trophy here, if Arsenal slip up at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Standing in the way are Chelsea, who would normally be expected to make tough opposition for any side. However, their form has been mixed all season, and it has nosedived since temporary coach Frank Lampard stepped in. Can CFC step up, or will the points go with the EPL leaders? This MCFC vs CFC preview and its predictions, with betting picks, aims to answer that.
The match result betting suggests a comfortable afternoon for the home side. A win for Manchester City is as short at 1/4 in places, while the draw comes next at a general 5/1. Anyone looking to stake on the away side will find best industry odds of 11/1 on victory for Chelsea.
There is a temptation to think that Chelsea are still a top four side and that they can still be a match for the bigger teams. That remains a possibility, but the respective league positions and the form guide aren’t encouraging for Blues fans. Chelsea have claimed just four points from their last six Premier League matches, and only two sides have a worse record over that period of time. In contrast, Manchester City have been faultless with six wins from their last six.
If you’re finding it tough to see past the favorites, there may be little point in taking the home win at such short odds, so this preview now take a look at some options among the side bets.
Any match involving Erling Haaland will see the striker offered at very short odds in the goals markets. The Norwegian international has now scored 52 times in 49 games across all competitions for his new club. For Saturday’s game against Chelsea, Haaland is quoted at 15/8 to find the net first.
MCFC’s Julian Alvarez has provided solid back up to the main striker and he is a tempter in the first goalscorer betting at 5/1. The Argentine international scored the last of his team’s four goals against Real Madrid in midweek. Other options in this market for Manchester City backers include Phil Foden at 7/1, Riyad Mahrez at 8/1 and Kevin de Bruyne at 10/1. The first Chelsea name to appear is that of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at 14/1, while former Manchester City attacker Raheem Sterling is quoted at 16/1.
Other popular side markets include Both Teams to Score which is available for Sunday’s game at evens. Both teams ‘not’ to score carries the shorter numbers this time and it can be backed at a best of 20/23.
Next up are the Total Combined Goals options and we’ll begin at the Over 2.5 line. This is available at 8/15 in most places which is very short, even for this low starting point. If we push to Over 3.5, this takes us to a much more interesting price of 15/8. Alternatively, those who are expecting a quiet 90 minutes at the Etihad could look at Under 2.5 goals which is quoted at best odds of 31/20.
That leaves our look at some Correct Score bets. The match odds are heavily in favor of Manchester City here. You could, therefore, look at a 3-1 home win which is on offer at best odds of 11/1. A 2-1 win for Chelsea is available at 33/1, while a 2-2 draw would currently be met at a best of 28/1.
Our Preview’s MCFC vs CFC Betting Picks & Tips Verdict
Manchester City’s 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid in midweek is another ominous sign for Chelsea, and for Arsenal who retain those slim hopes of the title. There might, however, be a faint chance that the intensity of that Champions League semifinal could leave City jaded and lethargic on Sunday.
We feel that there is genuine hope for the draw in this game, but it largely depends on whether Chelsea can find a spark that matches the quality of their squad. Recent defeats to Wolves and Brentford, plus a 2-2 home draw with Nottingham Forest last time out, makes the draw a very brave punt.
If you are not comfortable with anything other than a Manchester City victory, there are alternatives. Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal, together with City’s tight defence, means that Both Teams to Score carries generous odds this week.
This preview will start with BTTS, and add in Kevin de Bruyne for an anytime goal. The Belgian’s scoring stats are down following the arrival of Erling Haaland, but he remains a threat in front of the target. It could, at the very least, be tighter than the match market suggests, but for this preview’s betting predictions and picks, we will settle on these side bets as we look for a profitable 90 minutes:
- Both Teams to Score at evens (1/1) with Bovada, BetOnline or EveryGame.
- Kevin de Bruyne to Score at Any Time at +250 with BetOnline.
Matt Harris is a golf and soccer expert for USA Betting. His other area of specialist knowledge is cricket. He is well known in sports journalism and contributes articles to a plethora of big-name websites and media outlets. Titles that he writes or has written for include: Betfair, BetVictor, Unibet & Just Bookies.