Chelsea v Manchester City is the biggest Premier League game of the season so far and whichever side wins will feel they have a great chance of winning the title, whilst a draw would preserve Chelsea’s five point cushion at the summit of the league.
Naturally enough, on home soil the Pensioners are favourites, with Bet365 offering the best odds of evens, a price many will view as very good value. Manuel Pellegrini’s men can be backed at odds of 3/1 with BetVictor whilst the stalemate is sure to interest plenty of punters at 13/5 with Betfred.
Both bosses would, perhaps, accept a draw as Jose Mourinho would feel his side’s five point lead should be enough whilst his opposite number would feel that his charges were still very much in the hunt having played their toughest remaining game. Earlier in the season ex-Chelsea favourite Frank Lampard got the equaliser for the Citizens in the reverse fixture, that match ending 1-1, and with little between the teams and Mourinho likely to set out with containment in mind another such result could well be on the cards.
Chelsea’s chances will not have been helped by the 120 minutes of football they played against Liverpool on Tuesday night, especially if Diego Costa receives a ban as a result of the stamping incidents he has been accused of. Extra time will have added to the players’ fatigue, although the boost of a Wembley final to come will certainly have helped them. Chelsea, like Man City, rested a few of their big names last weekend in the FA Cup and with both teams having strong squads they should cope with the fixture demands.
Of course, both sides were shockingly – and thrillingly for the neutrals – dumped out of the FA Cup by lower league opposition and this makes this clash slightly trickier to predict. Both bosses will demand a reaction and whilst Mourinho will have been quietly pleased with his side’s performance against Liverpool, this is clearly a much bigger test.
Manchester City will be hoping that they may have Yaya Toure and newly signed striker Wilfried Bony available if Ivory Coast get eliminated from the African Cup of Nations but even if they do, it remains to be seen how fresh they will be. Any result is decidedly possible here though, regardless, and we expect a closely fought, fascinating encounter.
Chelsea v Manchester City Betting Tips
- Match result: draw – With little between the teams and both sides likely to be very fearful of being beaten we have to feel that a draw is the best value at 13/5 with a number of firms including Sky Bet and Betfred.
- 0-0 at half time – Despite the attacking talent on show we expect a cagey affair and 0-0 at the break appeals at odds of 2/1 with BetVictor, though at shorter odds you could also back the draw at the break.
- John Terry to score at anytime – A long shot at 9/1 with Betfred but worth a punt. In a game of few chances the Chelsea captain’s ability in the air could prove decisive from a set piece.