Chelsea vs Manchester City
The Premier League fixture list has thrown up a box-office attraction this weekend to raise the curtains on another great weekend of football.
European champions Chelsea host English champions Manchester City in a 12-30 kick-off at Stamford Bridge where many of Europe’s finest players are set to put on some world class entertainment. The Premier League 2021 betting odds can hardly separate the two teams now, with the SBOTOP price for the Sky Blues retaining their title at 2.95, and Chelsea at 3.00. Manchester United and Liverpool are both in the hunt at 4.50, but this game has the feel of a title face-off.
After five rounds Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United all have 13 points and lead the rest of the league, with Manchester City in fifth place, behind Brighton, on ten points. But the Sky Blues made a much slower start to the campaign last term, in the bottom half at this stage, and no sensible fan will take much notice of the league table until ten games have been completed.
But whether this is the sixth game of the season or the 36th, it is a clash of the best two teams in the country (with apologies to Liverpool and Manchester United fans).
Talking Points
Does Thomas have Pep’s number?
Pep Guardiola is one of the most respected managers in European football. As a player, he won six La Ligas with the great Barcelona team of the 1990s, and as a head coach he has reached a level few can aspire to. Over 13 seasons he has won nine league titles, three with Barcelona, three with FC Bayern and three with Manchester City. He also won two Champions League titles with the Blaugrana but failed to win Europe’s top prize whilst at Bayern and is yet to do so with Manchester City.
And his opposite number on Saturday lunchtime is the man who stopped Pep from breaking that duck as Chelsea beat the Sky Blues in the 2021 Champions League final. In fact, three Chelsea wins in the space of six weeks in April and May, put City out of the FA Cup and Champions League, as well as allowing the Blues to pick up three points in the penultimate match of the league season at the Etihad.
Pep’s a brilliant manager but he has a real adversary in Thomas Tuchel. The Chelsea boss, who has made such an impression at Stamford Bridge in eight months, has had the better of the Sky Blues head coach and it will be fascinating to see who wins that psychological battle.
Chelsea were far too good for Spurs in Sunday’s Premier League and have been in superb form, the return to the club of Romelu Lukaku making them look like real title contenders.
City ready to recover from an off day
The Sky Blues got off to an explosive start in the Champions League with a 6-3 thumping of Red Bull Leipzig last week but, in stark contrast, they failed to spark anything at all in a home match against Southampton at the weekend. City were fully expected to win but they put in a limp display, registering just one shot on target in the entire 90 minutes. The Saints could have won it but they were denied a second-half penalty, and City striker Raheem Sterling thought he’d grabbed all three points with a late goal but he was marginally offside.
But City have these off days from time to time, and they are often followed up by a high scoring win. They know Chelsea represent a real threat to their Premier League dominance and will be keen to take the upper hand. I expect Kevin de Bruyne, who came on as a second-half substitute in the draw against Southampton, to start; and this is the perfect stage for £100m signing Jack Grealish to show he can dominate on the very biggest stage.
History
Chelsea have had the better of the head to head meetings, leading 29 to 20 in the Premier League era, and they have won all three meetings since Tuchel’s arrival.
Recent form is strong for both teams. Chelsea are unbeaten in six and City are unbeaten in five.
Betting Tip
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Chelsea vs Manchester City | 1X2 Draw @ 3.15 |
| September 25, 19:30 (GMT+8) |
The way the early season Premier League 2021 results have gone this game has already won the status of a blockbuster match. Both Chelsea and Manchester City have started strongly, and there are advocates for both sides claiming that the title will be theirs come next May.
The odds for this match are separated by a hair’s breadth with the hosts marginal favourites at a price of 2.56 while Manchester City are at 2.64, and I think we’ll see a classic battle with no quarter given.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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