Tag: Manchester City

Wenger To Have Another Tough Afternoon

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

IT’S tough times at the Emirates at the moment and it looks like it’s going to get a lot worse at the weekend when Arsenal host Man City.

The Arsene Wenger “out” brigade will be in full voice on Sunday and another defeat will see the pressure mount even more on the Premier League’s longest-serving boss, and the removable object that is Wenger looks set to be in for a very difficult afternoon both on and off the pitch.

Arsenal and, for the first time in his long tenure, Wenger looks to have finally lost the respect of the majority of the fans, and more importantly certain sections of the dressing room.

Star man Alexis Sanchez has already come out publicly with his plea to leave the club and play with a side of “winners” joining Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlaide Chamberlin, who have also expressed their desire to leave at the end of the season; that is hardly the ideal preparation ahead of one of their biggest tests of the season.

The Gunners’ have won just three times in their last 10, but alarming they’ve had SEVEN defeats in that period. The way they performed last time out in the 3-1 defeat at West Brom, with a lack of desire, heart or team spirit, and how they are as short as 2.87 with William Hill for the win at the weekend has really got me scratching my head.

City has looked good since they were dumped out of the Champions League by Monaco at the last 16 stage, which was the worst performance in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career.

They played a very big part in an entertaining 1-1 draw with Liverpool last time out, which stretched their unbeaten domestic run to 11 matches and I can’t see anything other than a City win in this one, which is a very tempting 2.36 with Paddy Power.

Embarrassment Likely for the Gunners!

I fear, with the anti-Wenger chanting, that if the home side falls behind early on, this could be a long afternoon for the Frenchman. Unlike previous times, when the Arsenal manager has had his back against the wall, he won’t get out of jail this time around, and Man City -1 at 3.20 with most bookies looks tempting as well.

For goals punters, this certainly looks one that will feature a few and over 2.5 goals and both teams to score “yes” will probably be winning bets, but have been priced up accordingly by the layers; instead, I am going to have a small wager on City to heap my misery on the Gunners’ with a 3-1 win which is 18.00 at Paddy Power.

 

City To Run Riot At The Stadium Of Light

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

PREMIER League basement boys Sunderland faces a very tough test on Sunday when they host Man City at the Stadium of Light, and I don’t give the Black Cats much hope of moving off the bottom of the table in this one.

David Moye’s has a massive job on his hands to keep this Sunderland side in the top flight and with injuries piling up and other teams around them getting results I am not surprised that they are just 1.14 for the drop.

The home side is in free-fall after just one win in their last 11 matches, and there looks little to no chance that they can pull off an 11.00 surprise win with Bet365 against a City side that arrives here in rampant form.

Pep Guardiola’s side has finally hit their stride and is still going strong in three tournaments; last week’s 5-3 Champions League win over Monaco was the best match of the season so far, and with 11 wins from their last 15 matches, they will get the job done again at the weekend.

The bookies, however, are taking no chances and rate the visitors just 1.30 to close the gap on leaders Chelsea with a win, which might interest you if you are a big staking punter, but even though I do anticipate another City success, I will just be including them in my Premier League accumulator.

City has now scored at least two goals in their last EIGHT matches and against a Sunderland that have failed to score in FIVE of their last six games that bring a couple of alternative ways to get with City.

In two of the last three meetings in this fixture, City has won by a 4-1 margin and another easy afternoon is expected. I would take the visitors to cover the -1.5 on the Asian handicap which is 1.81 with BetVictor.

Also in SEVEN of the last eight clashes between the two, over 2.5 goals has been a winning bet, and with City more than capable of doing that on their own, that also looks appealing at the general quotes of 1.45 with most bookies.

Sergio Aguero has capitalised on regaining his place in the starting line-up due to the injury to Gabriel Jesus, and the Argentinian who scored twice in the win against Monaco and four in his last three starts against Sunderland looks an outstanding bet to open the goal scoring again in this latest meeting at 3.50 with BetVictor.

Man City vs. Monaco, Falcao and Aguero at the Etihad

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Next Tuesday sees high-flying Monaco travel to the Etihad to take on an improving Man City. This is the first time these two sides will come together in Champions League history, and with both sides in fine goal scoring form, the potential is here for a true football spectacle.

Manchester City

City, currently sitting in 2nd place in the Premier League and coming into this game on a strong run of form, 6 wins out of 8 with 21 goals, Guardiola is looking to propel the club past the round of 16 for only the second time in the club’s history. Drawing Monaco seems to be a mixed blessing, avoiding a PSG side who put 4 past Barcelona last Tuesday will be preferred, but Monaco is nothing to be scoffed at. The blue half of Manchester will have high expectations, but their hopes could well be dashed.

Much of the current discussion at City is being generated by their forwards. The arrival of Gabriel Jesus has brought to bear the long-term commitment of talisman striker Sergio Aguero, now threatening a summer move to Real Madrid. Amidst the controversy, Jesus quickly found himself with a metatarsal fracture, putting him out of action until May, further complicating the matter. He joins Ilkay Gündogan on the bench, as well as John Stones who is still in recovery from a head injury that has put him out of contention since the end of January.

Monaco

Sitting 3 points clear at the top of Ligue 1, Monaco is in possession of some truly intimidating form. Unbeaten in all competitions in 2017, with 26 goals in only 8 games, Monaco are no lightweight draw for Man City, and could arguably be considered the favourites in this match. Should they get the better of City next Tuesday, and considering PSG’s phenomenal performance against Barca, this could well be the first season a French team has won Europe’s premier competition since Marseilles in 1993.

Radamel Falcao is the in form player to look out for here. Back at Monaco after unsuccessful loan stints at Manchester United and Chelsea, the Colombian has been truly scintillating so far this season. Joint 3rd in the Ligue 1 goal charts with 16, he has 5 in the last 5 games and will be looking to add to that tally against City. Alongside Falcao, Monaco is capable of putting out a dynamic and attack minded midfield, led by playmaker Joao Moutinho. Gabriel Boschilia is their only player out with an injury.

The value

There is no head to head data to look at, as these two haven’t met before, but it is worth noting that Monaco beat Tottenham 2:1 both home and away in the group stages. City, however, with more recent squad experience in the Champions League have already proven to be more capable of winning in Europe than their Premier League rivals.

I would expect this game to follow the Spurs game in a BTTS pattern, with both sides so strong up front: Bet Victor have BTTS at 13/20 and Bet 365 have City to Win and BTTS:Yes at 21/10. BTTS:Yes and Draw could also be a good shout, considering Monaco’s quality, but I would expect the home team to carry it here.

City to Keep Winning in a Goal Fest

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

ME and odds-on favourites away from home in the Premier League don’t usually go hand in hand but there is a lot to like about Manchester City this week when they make the long journey down to the south coast to face struggling Bournemouth.

It’s a Premier League coupon that’s littered with heavy odds-on pokes but the 1.50 that is available with Stan James on City for this one looks one of the better of the short prices.

It’s very rare that I would suggest a play on any side that is odds-on away from home in still the most competitive league in the world, but I am expecting totally different ends to the season for this two and it’s hard not to get involved.

Last weekend City left it late to beat Swansea 2-1 at the Etihad with two goals from wonder kid Gabriel Jesus, and despite what’s been a disappointing Premier League campaign, they still remain in third position in the table and arrive on the south coast with three successive wins under their belt.

In recent weeks, manager Pep Guardiola has let his star-studded side off the shackles and City games for the remainder of the season will be good ones to watch.

In their last three wins City has scored an impressive nine goals and getting with goals certainly looks the way to profit at the Vitality.

Nine of City’s last ten matches have seen over 2.5 goals feature and at 1.57 with Stan James again that looks the banker in the match for me as it’s also been a winner in 11 of Bournemouth’s last 13.

Bournemouth is 7.00 with William Hill to win this game, and despite a win at home to Liverpool and an impressive home draw with Arsenal, that is not a price that I would go anywhere near with their current form.

The Cherries are in real danger of being dragged into a relegation battle. With no wins in their last six matches and a staggering 19 goals conceded in those matches, this is certainly worrying times for Eddie Howe.

At the weekend Bournemouth defended like school kids in the 6-3 defeat against Everton, and another freaky result looks on the cards but with the majority of goals for the visitors, so I also like City -1.5 goals on the Asian handicap at 2.20 with Bet365.

City have to go all out and win every remaining game now in Premier League, something that they are more than capable of doing since the arrival of new Jesus; he could be the answer to their prayers and Bournemouth need to stop the rot or they will be in the Championship, something I am not sure they can do.

Man City to get Their Title Campaign Back on Track

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

THERE is a whole host of “must win” games in the Premier League this weekend and that is certainly the case when Manchester City host strugglers Swansea at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.

After a mid-season blip, City finally looks to be getting back to their early season best form and are a very warm 1.20 favourite win and put the pressure on Chelsea at the top of the table with another three points against the Swans.

City arrives in confident mood after back-to-back wins scoring seven goals in the process and not conceding, and another easy win looks on the cards, despite Swansea arriving in Manchester in decent form themselves.

The visitors have won their last two matches as well including a famous 3-2 success at Anfield on their last road trip, but with City expected to let loose from the shackles in this one, this is going to be a long, tough afternoon for new Swansea boss Paul Clement.

I can see Pep Guardiola going for it for the remainder of the Premier League campaign which means that City matches are going to be very entertaining to watch and the one thing that looks certain in this one is goals and a lot of them.

Goals are the Way to go in Man City Matches for Remainder of Season

Nine of the last ten City games have seen over 2.5 goals and that has also been a winning bet in 12 of the last 14 in Swansea matches; the over 2.5 goals line at 1.40 is a very short price in that market, but it does look the banker in the match, and also at 2.05 with BetVictor over 3.5 goals looks worthy of support as well.

Whilst we are on the goals theme both teams have scored in the last seven matches between these two sides and a “yes” in this one is certainly a bet in the BTTS coupon this weekend at 1.95 with Betfair Sportsbook and at the 11.00 I will be taking City to keep their title challenge right on track with a 3-1 win with Bet365.

Sergio Aguero looks a shadow of the player he was at the start of the season. He’s clearly unhappy at the moment and is a false favourite at 3/1 to open the goal scoring.

The Argentinian striker’s days at the Etihad look clearly limited, his body language doesn’t look great and he’s far from a certain starter at the weekend.

New signing Gabriel Jesus looks the real deal and the long term replacement for Aguero and he can answer punters prayers with the opening goal at 4.50 with Paddy Power.

The Bookies Have Got it Wrong at the Etihad

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

IT’S a huge match at the Etihad this weekend involving faltering giants Manchester City and fast improving Tottenham Hotspur.

This is as big as it gets for both sides as defeat for the home side would virtually see them unthinkably out of the title race in January, and a win for Spurs will see them as major title contenders if they aren’t already.

On the evidence of what we’ve seen in recent weeks, I am staggered by the prices on offer with the bookies.

City was dreadful in last weeks 4-0 hammering at Goodison Park at the hands of Everton, a defeat which was the biggest ever handed to manager Pep Guardiola, and I just can’t fathom why they are just 2.20 to bounce back with a win at the weekend.

Questionable Guardiola Moves vs. Pochettino’s Young Guns

Guardiola, despite his glowing CV, really hasn’t got to grips with the Premier League at all and his decision to dump England goalkeeper Joe Hart out of the Etihad in favour of Claudio Bravo looks more and more bizarre each and every week.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager looks a shadow of the suave and confident coach that rocked into Manchester in the summer, and I believe he’s got big problems making the Champions League, yet alone win the title.

Mauricio Pochettino is for me the best coach in the Premier League and his young Tottenham side are getting better and better each week and why they are 3.60 to win this match with Bet365 is anyone’s guess.

The Londoners are in superb form and scoring goals for fun having won their last SEVEN matches and scoring 21 goals in the process; with them also boasting a rock-solid defence, they are crying out to be backed at the prices on offer to add more misery to Pep.

Previous Form

When the two met in October the Spurs came out comfortable winners 2-0, which was only the second time in the last 11 matches between the two where over 2.5 goals wasn’t a winner. With so much at stake, especially for the home side, over 2.5 goals and both teams to score look good at 1.75 and 1.62 respectively.

It’s no surprise that Tottenham’s form has been on the up since the return of England international Harry Kane from injury, and after a hat-trick last week the Hurri-Kane is a good bet at 6.00 with Paddy Power to upstage Sergio Aguero in the goal scoring race with the opener in a match that promises goals.