English Premier League: Manchester City vs Chelsea Preview
Manchester City plays defending champions Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday 16th August in a not-to-miss clash that we take a look at in our soccer betting tips article. This early match-up between two potential competitors is sure to be the highlight of this weekend fixture in the English Premier League.
The hosts come into the game on the back of an impressive start to their campaign. Although the EPL season is just one game old, the competition is so fierce that every team needs to be at its best every match. City brushed aside West Bromwich Albion with style in a performance that enthralled its supporters.
However manager Manuel Pellegrini (pictured) knows that Chelsea will be a different proposition.
The Chilean is under pressure himself with a mandate of winning the league this season. He may have signed a new contract but the specter of Pep Guardiola still looms large. A good performance against the Blues will help doubt his silencers – for the moment, though.
Jose Mourinho has problems of his own ahead of the match. His team looked completely out of sorts for the first game and was lucky to land with shared spoils. The suspension of Thibaut Courtois will render him unavailable for the match. Asmir Begovic performed admirably but it will be a different test for him against the faster Citizens.
The half-fit Diego Costa is another huge worry for Mourinho. His bench strength of Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao is not entirely comforting. The poor start by Cesc Fabregas will be picked up by David Silva and Yaya Toure if he doesn’t improve.
With a whole season ahead of them, both the teams will be looking not to lose the match; even if it means sharing the spoils. Mourinho is a master when it comes to stifling opposition out, especially away from home. At odds of $3.25 at CrownBet, a draw looks like a great betting play.
Raheem Sterling had to cop a lot of negativity during the transfer window. The protracted huge money transfer from Liverpool seems to have spurred him as he looked eager to prove himself in the first match. At odds of $3.50 at CrownBet, he is a good bet to score any time in the match.
