Bad run at the Etihad to continue for the Reds
A 2-2 draw at the Emirates is hardly a bad result, yet Liverpool would have been kicking themselves with the manner they squandered a 2-0 lead in North London on Wednesday night. Brendan Rodgers must quickly dust himself down as the Reds have their second successive tough away game at the Etihad on Sunday.
Liverpool have a poor record at Man City that has seen them fail to score in their past three visits. Roberto Mancini’s side have won their past two home league games against Liverpool 3-0.
Sunday’s visitors also haven’t beaten any side currently in the top half of the table and City are in a great position to continue that run.
Can the Magpies get over the rut against Man City?
Manchester City are firmly in the driving seat to lift their first league title in 44 years after edging out their bitter rivals on Monday evening. Vincent Kompany’s header was enough to give City the vital three points and Roberto Mancini knows that unless United make up eight goals, they will be crowned champions if they win their next two games.
City’s next contest is at St James’ Park and Manchester United fans will be praying Alan Pardew’s side can do them a favour. The problem for Newcastle is that they have a woeful record against City and supporters must look back to the 2005/06 campaign for the Magpies’ last victory over them.
That run includes ten matches and City have won on eight occasions.
Tight game predicted at the Emirates
Arsenal’s run of victories came to a crashing end at Loftus Road as QPR ran out unlikely 2-1 winners last Saturday. Arsene Wenger’s side are now level on points again with Spurs and it’s vital they don’t let a resurgent Chelsea snatch the final Champions League place out of the blue.
Manchester City visit the Emirates on Sunday afternoon and Roberto Mancini’s side could feasibly be eight points behind their red rivals – who play QPR at home earlier in the day. City and Arsenal have already met twice this season and both have been low scoring affairs with just two goals. Looking back at City’s past five visits to the Emirates, a lack of goals has been a common feature. City’s most recent league visit to Arsenal finished goalless and there have been an average of 1.25 goals in their last five here.
City will be relishing trip to DW Stadium
Wigan face the daunting task of hosting Manchester City on Monday evening and if the head-to-head record is anything to go by, the Latics look like they are in for a long evening. Roberto Martinez’s side were unceremoniously dumped out of the FA Cup by lowly Swindon at the weekend and that’s not the ideal preparation when trying to stop the league leaders.
Spread punters must look back to September 2008 to find the last time Wigan beat Man City as the underdogs ran out 2-1 winners that afternoon. Since that victory, the Latics have failed to beat City in six consecutive matches. The money being spent in the blue side of Manchester obviously means City are a different beast nowadays and the league meeting this season ended in a 3-0 hammering at the Etihad Stadium.
The match supremacy market will likely be a hot topic for discussion in the pubs before kick-off given that City have won their past four games against Wigan to nil. The average winning margin in that period stands at 2.25 goals.
Gunners can test City’s fragile back four once more
Sky Sports’ Super Sunday offering serves up a real treat this weekend with four big fixtures from the Premier League. Manchester United get things underway at Loftus Road, before Aston Villa welcome Liverpool, then Tottenham face Sunderland and finally Arsenal take on the league leaders in Manchester.
Roberto Mancini’s side lost for the first time this season on Monday evening as Frank Lampard’s late winner secured a 2-1 victory for Chelsea. That was the eighth game that City have failed to keep a clean sheet in the league and that’ll have total goal buyers eagerly waiting Sunday’s game against Arsenal.
Arsenal’s recent trips to Man City also suggest it’ll be a good day for total goal buyers. There have been a total of 19 goals scored in Arsenal’s past five trips to Man City – at an average of 3.8 goals per game. While total goal minute buyers may be tempted for another bet on Sunday given there was a total of 174 points when the Gunners last played at City in the league.
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