Manchester City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
Here’s a quiz question for SBOBET fans.
Has a team ever come into a Premier League match after scoring 16 goals in two matches?
I don’t know the answer for sure, but I seriously doubt it.
Yes, Manchester City’s demolitions have come against lower league opposition in both domestic cup competitions.
But, fresh after their key league victory over league leaders Liverpool, City are a team in form regardless of the standard of opponents.
Talking Points
They will need to be, too, as they trail the Merseysiders by seven points going into this encounter after they extended their lead with a victory at Brighton.
That means City know anything other than victory against a side which held them earlier in the campaign will not suffice.
This is a fourth consecutive home match for the reigning champions, and Nuno Espirito Santo’s men will be on a high themselves after seeing off Liverpool in the FA Cup.
That result, ultimately, could give Liverpool a big advantage in the title race as City have a much more heavily congested run of fixtures over the next month.
The Citizens could be without two of their most influential figures in this one with Sergio Aguero, who has scored 14 goals in 22 appearances this season, suffering from illness over the past 10 days, while skipper Vincent Kompany struggling with a muscle problem.
Wolves, meanwhile, appear to have a near full-strength side, not that home boss Pep Guardiola can complain at any of his own possible absences given the depth of the squad at his disposal.
City naturally are firm favourites and they have actually won five of their last six home top-flight meetings with Wolves (drawn one) since a 2-3 defeat in December 1979.
In contrast, Wolves have picked up one win in their last 10 matches with City in all competitions (drawn three, lost six) and that was a 2-1 win at Molineux in the top flight in October 2010.
With the January transfer window in full swing, both clubs are being linked to a number of targets this month, even if there seems little substance in many of the rumours.
That also includes a far-fetched Premier League 2019 news which suggests City could snap up Barcelona frontman Ousmane Dembele while, in the same report, they are linked to Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, who netted the FA Cup winner against Liverpool.
Santo says he won’t be rushed into signing new players. Fresh from success against the second-best team in the country, he probably has enough on his plate as he prepares his side for a trip to the top team in the country.
History
Historically, these sides can’t be separated.
City have triumphed in 47 of their meetings, with Wolves successful in 46 of the contests and the other 25 ending as draws.
As well as their league draw in August, the sides drew in the League Cup last season when City needed a penalty shoot-out to progress at the expense of the then-Championship outfit.
The last time they met at the Etihad Stadium in the top flight was in October 2011 when Edin Dzeko, Aleksandar Kolarov and Adam Johnson were on target in a 3-1 win.
City had triumphed 5-2 at Molineux days earlier, too, when Dzeko and Johnson again found the net in the League Cup.
You have to go back to August 1999 for the last time Wolves won on City turf.
It was Division One (now Championship) and a 1-0 win at Maine Road.
The scorer that day – a young Irishman by the name of Robbie Keane as he ruined City’s first game back in the division after they had spent one season in the third tier of English football.
How times have changed!
Betting Tip
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Manchester City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers | Total Goal 4-6 @ 2.53 |
| January 15, 04:00 (GMT+8) |
The Premier League 2019 betting odds are as firmly entrenched towards one side as you’d expect.
City are overwhelming favourites to see off the spirited Wolves with 1X2 odds @ 1.19 and Wolves are far out @ 16.50. A repeat of the draw earlier in the season attracts odds of @ 5.80.
Asian Handicap odds also point to a home success with something to spare.
The price on City -2.25 @ 2.21 compares to Wolves +1.75 @ 2.29.
Likewise, over 3.50 goals @ 2.31 is not as generous as you may expect.
If the correct score is your preferred route, then a second 1-1 draw of the campaign would pay out @ 14.50.
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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