Chelsea v Manchester City Betting Tip & Odds: Well, frankly both teams could be better with the personnel they have in their side. However, home advantage has to count for so much in this fixture, at this stage of the season (although City won here last season). Chelsea are almost getting into top gear again, while City will have been dealt a confidence blow. City haven’t been at their best, still unwilling to break out of their shell and play with any attacking impetus. So, would lean towards a Chelsea -1 Asian Handicap for 6/5 at Victor Chandler. Better odds than their outright price, and pays out if Chelsea win by two, or take a Chelsea to win to nil for 13/8 at Victor Chandler also.
Chelsea to win: 4/6 at Boylesports
Draw: 14/5 at Victor Chandler
Manchester City to win: 5/1 at Bet365
EPL Match Preview: A top four clash is the highlight of the Premier League weekend, with a lot of up for grabs. With a win, Chelsea can leap frog Manchester City into third place, with a game in hand over them. That would probably end City’s title hopes to be honest. This is a match between two teams who are so talented, but can offer so much more. Chelsea aren’t quite firing at their best, but better than they were, and Manchester City continue to disappoint in attacking terms as well. The impetus will all be on Chelsea here to come out and dominate this home game, they need revenge for their early season defeat away at Eastlands. Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues have won their last two league matches, and progressed through to the quarter finals of the Champions League, while City have won one and drawn one of their last two league matches, and were dumped out of the Europa league on Thursday. Do City have the resolve to bounce back in this difficult fixture? Will Chelsea continue to reel in Manchester United at the top of the league? It is a battle of the blues at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea Form: Chelsea are, by and large, playing much better than they were a couple of months ago. Are they back at their best? No, their Champions League 0-0 draw against Copenhagen proved that, because if that had been Chelsea of six months ago, they would have ran up a cricket score. Instead, they failed to find the net at all, with Drogba, Anelka and Zhirkov all squandering good chances. The finishing is what is letting Chelsea down at the moment, there was a lot more creativity coming from midfield, some great participation by the full backs Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa, but the forwards let the side down on the night. Until Fernando Torres finds his feet and starts threatening, then this could be the case for the rest of Chelsea’s season. Their 2-1 win over Manchester United has really helped keep the Premier League title race alive, and they followed that up with a solid 3-1 away win at Blackpool, again, a match in which a lot of chances were created, but not enough taken. Torres may not even find his way into the starting eleven for this one, as he continues to look on the periphery of things. Whether he is just not fitting in Chelsea’s system or whether he is just not as sharp as he used to be, remains to be seen, but something doesn’t look right. He doesn’t look a good fit, nor fit himself at the moment. In such a crucial league match, Ancelotti may stick with Anelka and Drogba, who created a lot of openings between them in midweek. Chelsea are still waiting the return of centre half Alex to form, and with Benayoun starting training again, Chelsea are getting back to full strength. Their big question here, is are they sharp enough to break the City back line and bury any chances? If so, then they will be well worth backing, as they do look the hungrier of the two sides at the moment. They also have such a strong defensive record at home, tough to see City really threatening too much form open play. Still, two wins from their last two matches sees them going well at the moment. Looking more confident, and should be able to control much of the possession here. Just a question of what they can do with it against what will be a defensive City.
Manchester City Form: Manchester City’s exit from the Europa league in the week may change the complex of this match a bit. After being favourites to lift that trophy, they now are down to just the Premier League title and the FA Cup, in which they face a semi final tie against rivals Manchester United. There is extra incentive then for Manchester City to push hard for this one, more so because of the stuttering league form of the Red Devils. Manchester City, much like Chelsea, looked down and out of the title race, but now there is a window of opportunity which has been opened for them both. City have been a bit patchy lately, losing their last two matches on the road, at Aston Villa and neighbours Manchester United. They beat Wigan 1-0 in their last outing, but were held in a disappointing draw at home against Fulham before that. Manchester City still favour the defensive side of the beautiful game, and they need this victory to keep up any kind of challenge, sitting six points behind leaders United at the moment. However, Manchester City sometimes look as if they are really not interested. There is seldom enough urgency in their play to really push and win matches. Their game plan against Chelsea at Eastlands earlier in the season, was to stifle Chelsea’s midfield and creativity, without threatening themselves, and it just took a wonderful effort from Carlos Tevez to win the match for them. That is what City seem to be, waiting for individual moments of brilliance in attack, when they are quite blessed with attacking talent. They aren’t fully being utilised though. Carlos Tevez, David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko should be firing in a lot of a goals, if City were an attacking team. They are not, so they will try and rely on the counter attack at Stamford Bridge, and wait for their one golden opening to steal all three points. No win in four away matches though, the odds could be stacked against them.
Head to Head: Chelsea have a 50% win percentage at home in fixtures against Manchester City, which is pretty strong. That is 34 wins out of 68 matches played there between the two clubs. Manchester City have won on 20% of their visits to the Bridge, with twenty drawn matches being played out there. Chelsea have a clear edge in the average goals scored in this fixture, with a 1.7 average goals per game against City, while City have mustered just 1.1 goals per game at Stamford Bridge. City are on a three game winning streak against Chelsea though, including last season’s 4-2 win in London. Carlo Ancelotti’s men can’t afford to have that continue.
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Chelsea v Manchester City Premier League Betting Statistics
Last 5 Head to Head
Manchester City 1, Chelsea 0
Chelsea 2, Manchester City 4
Manchester City 2, Chelsea 1
Chelsea 1, Manchester City 0
Manchester City 1, Chelsea 3
Chelsea have an 69% win percentage at home in the league this season
Manchester City have a 43% win percentage away from home in the league this season
Chelsea are on a streak of 3 home matches with no draw
Manchester City are on a streak of 4 away matches with no win
Chelsea have scored 26 goals, and conceded 9 at home
Manchester City have scored 22 and conceded 14 goals in their away matches
Chelsea average 2 goals per match at home this season
Manchester City average 1.5 goals per match away from home this season
Chelsea have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Manchester City have scored the majority of their goals in the 16-30 minute bracket
Chelsea have opened the scoring in 50% of their matches
Manchester City have scored first in 62% of their matches
Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Drogba, 10
Manchester City 2010/11 top scorer: Tevez, 18
Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P28 W15 D6 L7 GF51 GA24 Pts 51 (4th)
Manchester City 2010/11 Season Form: P29 W15 D8 L6 GF45 GA25 Pts 9 (3rd)
