IT'S being billed as a title decider but of course it's too early for that – but Man City will know the importance of moving six points clear of Chelsea with a win.
This game could go two ways – either City steamroller their rivals as they have done with almost every visitor to the Etihad. Or it could become a battle of mind games between the entertainer Manuel Pellegrini and the enforced Jose Mourinho.
Unfortunately for armchair fans expecting a thriller it could be the latter with Mourinho likely to employ the same tactics he slated West Ham for in last week's 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho proved he is the master of stifling the opposition when his men claimed 0-0 draws at Old Trafford and the Emirates earlier in the season – both were billed live TV crackers that turned into borefests.
Fortress Etihad will be the Portuguese gaffer's toughest test of the season but City are hampered by the loss of top scorer Sergio Aguero while playmaker Samir Nasri is also out.
However, City have goals throughout the team and have netted 42 goals in winning all of their home matches. Crystal Palace are the only side in domestic football to have conceded under two goals.
If Aguero was fit I'd be all in on City but I'm still willing to take a chance on them with Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko proving able deputies for the Argentine. Of the two I'd prefer Negredo to score first at 9-2 with Ladbrokes and others.
They have bagged 40 between them but Mourinho's orders will be stop the service and he'd love a point.
The draw pays 14-5 at bet365 while City are 9-10 at Ladbrokes and Chelsea 7-2 with the likes of William Hill.
More than 80 per cent of City's home fixtures have gone over 2.5 goals and the last 0-0 at the Etihad came against Birmingham more than three years ago.
An unlikely 0-0 (bet no scorer) pays 13-1 at Betway while under 2.5 goals is 11-10 at Ladbrokes has a chance if Chelsea don't concede early then have to chase the games.
It should be fiercely fought with the possibility of a red card at 23-10 with Paddy Power. Pablo Zabaleta has the most City bookings this season and was yellow carded at Stamford Bridge last season. He is 9-1 at Paddy Power to be first player booked and his eighth of the campaign.
Chelsea's Ramires had been booked in five of nine meetings against City and is 10-1 at McBookie.
It could be tight and tense if Mourinho employs the spoiling tactics he loves to use – but hates to play against.
City's home record is so spectacular I have to give them the edge and to win by one looks a decent price at 14-5 with Ladbrokes and McBookie.
Recommended Bets
Man City to win by one
(14-5, Ladbrokes, McBookie)
Under 2.5 goals
(11-10, Ladbrokes)
In December 2020 we sadly 
Man City win and btts 9/4 with Ladbrokes is my shout
I will take Chelsea dc 10/11.
I will also take under 2.5 MG 11/10.
A biased Chelsea double chance at 10/11 for me tonight!
Ny heart is for chelsea but my head says city.
The chelsea boss is a real boss who knows his job.
VERDICT: CHELSEA WINS.
Fancy city to tear them apart and prove they are the best in league.
City win 10/11
I fancy man city -1 they have been head and shoulders above everyone in the league lately .
im £50 on city -1 at 21/10 at willy hills.
Fully agreed. After last nights Seria A result, I think City -1 is a steal.
I will be avoiding this game due to being a City fan, and I don’t think I would be able to handle the stress haha.
It was very windy yesterday in Manchester, from my experience at the Etihad, windy games often equals less goals. So even though we have just over a 4 goal/game average I can see Chelsea sitting back so under 2.5 goals looks a good shout Mr F. 4/5 of Chelsea’s last games have gone under 2.5 goals.
The outcome of this game will depending on whether Yaya and Fernandinho get a grip of the midfield and start controlling the play.
They both successfully shut out Arsenal’s midfield a couple of weeks back and will be determined to continue this amazing home run in potentially the most important game of the season (I know it’s still relatively early on).
An early goal for city could make this game very interesting and would prevent Jose from parking the bus, so I think Pellegrini will try to start quickly and settle the nerves. A Chris Guy’s special could work 1-20 mins for either Dzeko/Negredo (12/1) and (10/1) respectively. (Bet365)
Jovetic came on as a substitute last week at Spurs and bagged a goal, he is (2/1) at WilliamHill to score anytime so if he starts I think that would be a decent shout considering he will be desperate to impress and make up for all the lost time due to injury.
Hey Jack, City have a great team for tonight, but I always get the runs when I Martin Demichelis on the team sheet. In my opinion he is a horror CB who cannot read the game at all well. I was quite surprised that Pellegrini brought him to the Etihad.(please tell me it was a free)
I still think City will win -1 so long as they dont pass to Demichelis.
Cooldude if I remember correctly he was just over 4 mil! (4.4 I think).
He had previously played under Pellegrini at Malaga.
If I was going to bet on it i’d play it more safe and go for the straight city win, I don’t win many handicap bets since a lot of teams win by 1 as Mr F’s recommended bet suggests.
OMG. why did you have to ruin my day. 4m on a player whos clearly past it. surely theres someone else who could play cb?
This game has draw written all over it for me. I’ll be on draw and btts and 0-0!
aayayayayayayaya MOTM 8/1
This is the type of game that u lose ur weekend winnings on ! Most ppl will go City 10/11 but I reckon U 2.5 is the way forward and please make sure u cover 0-0 just incase !
i expect city want to send a message tonight, they are No.1, but also see chelsea wanting to do the same.
i agree this could go two ways, high-scoring or a stalemate, but contrary to consensus i believe both will happen. i dont think either teams are losing tonight and see a high scoring draw
Picks:
Man city 2 – 3 Chelsea @16/1
man city 3 – 3 Chelsea @80/1
both with ladbrokes
Man city 2 – 2 Chelsea @16/1*
man city 3 – 3 Chelsea @80/1
Can only think Chelsea fans are the ones saying Chelsea lol.
Chelsea won’t get a goal today unless they are already well behind in the game and city relax or joe hart gives them a gift.
Going with 4 bets on this match
Man city to win
Man city to win to nil
Man city -1.5
And a small covering bet on 0-0
Man.C. AINT winning anything without Augero in their team.
I think I’ll be going for most scoring half 2ndhalf@2.1 odd….the only goal of the match will come in 2ndhalf. Mr F what do you think about that?
That’s usually a good bet with Chelsea games
Luiz starting… Luiz to be booked at 11/10 is main bet for the night
Man City 2-0 Chelsea
Toure first goalscorer
Mourinho fails tonight …his run of a defeat and a draw starts today….Man city 2 Chelsea 0
City win&over 2.5 goals for me lads 7/4 skybet.. okay we all know how gd “The special one” is, & if he goes & “Parks the bus” as we know it,9/10 he’ll probably succeed, but this is Man City & we are in the form of our lives, & if we get an early enough goal? It could just as well be a demolishing job, just as well as a boring draw?!!
Being a life long City fan, I’m hopeing for the former?!
Bring it on!!! Lol
As a red it pains me to say this but tonight could be the night city tale a giant stride towards the title. They jabe made the etihad a fortress so tonight i am on city 2-1 and on Negredo first goal. For those predicting 0-0 don’t forget most companies offer a bore draw cash back option. Also rather than going 0-0 just bet no goalscorer as own goals don’t count so u can Stoll win even if an own goal is only goal scored
Chelsea nothing to fear here they will get chances against a side that score a lot of goals yes but they can let them in too.
Head to head:
Mourinho – 6 wins
Draw – 1
Pellegrini – 1 win
This may not count for much as Pellegrini is now playing Mourinho with a much better team but odds on City? Really? Gonna be a congested game – under 2.5 goals is a sensible yet boring shout. Wish Drogba was playing :-)
I’m thinking about going against the grain here (mostly because I’ve been backing the obvious all weekend and win hee haw!) And going over 3.5. Here’s why.
A. We all know city can score for fun. If they are in the mood and get the odd break of the ball it could be 4-0 easy.
B. Yes Jose likes to shut up shop in big games but he’s not daft he knows that City will break them down and still win 1 or 2 0 if the park the bus so he HAS to go for it or seasons over.
That’s my view and I reckon against the majority view we might get a 3-2. If city hump Chelsea it could be 4-0 or 4-1 so over 3.5 at 2/1 generally available is a good punt for me.
City have almost a 100 percent home record and if there is any team that will break that record, it should be chelsea. Mourinho will try to pack the bus and hunt city on the counter attack. I reckon a chelsea win or draw considering that chelsea’s two destroyers, nasri and aguero are out.
Back chelsea to win or draw
Gonna be tough to predict but my oppinion is to keep going with whats been happening, personally i think it will be alot more open than what people think, city average 3 a game and chelsea will now that and will know they will have to score
I love the will Hill offer toure at anytime and city win. Get on it
King whats the odds
5/1 I’m also on that. Toure is the man that can grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
On Coral there offering 5/2 for both to score and city to win i think thats a handout from the bookie. Chelsea are more than capable of scoring at city. Lesser teams have proven this but city always score more. Like you score 1 we’ll score 2 senario.
Hi all long time listen, 1st post. Love the site, helped me loads!
Am a bit with Craigdon on this one and hopefully plenty Man City goals.
At home City P11 W11.
10 by 2 goals or more
8 by 3 goals or more
Incl. 6 past Arsenal & Tottenham, ManU 4, Everton 3 & L’pool 2
Will Hill
Race to 2 goal 11/10 (big bet)
Race to 3 goal 3/1 (small bet)
0-0 12/1 (even smaller bet)
Good Luck to all :-)
nancy= win
chelsea= man city handicap-2 corners
2-1 city negredo 1st
fiver free bet on CITY to score 5+ for £140, asking for alot but I’d rather lose free on a longshot than try a safe even ££ bet and lose :) yaya to score and luiz anytime booking at 5/2 & 11/10 were the ‘safe’ bets
Got on the Toure bet again. Penalty, free kick taker and scores from free play, loves the big games. Great price be warned
Chelsea have been truly brilliant here. They’ve negated them pretty much and looked very threatening on the break. My tip on the other thread is coming off so far.
I thought that Chelsea were the better team.
Gavin, they’re the better team so far because Mourinho has got his tactics spot on. Doesn’t mean they’re the better team overall.
If City aren’t sharper second half and level by 65 minutes then I think Chelsea will beat them
Chelsea dc 10/11 WIN
Under 2.5 MG 11/10 WIN
Happy days.
Mourinho the special one.
1-0 ivanovic 200/1 get in!!! Haha
Just a £1 stake but happy days! Originally was going to do £5 on eto’o but did £3 on him £1 on ivanovic and £1 on kompany!!! You beauty!!!
Oh I do love all you Mourinho doubters. He does it time and time again and you just don’t learn. Chelsea price was an absolute steal before the game.
Would never have gone Ivanovic before the game but fair play! He just hasn’t been getting forward as much as he used to last season and that’s mainly down to Mourinho tactics.
Chelsea thoroughly deserved the win. Mourinho got it spot on where as the less said about Pellegrini’s tactics the better. A lot of people would say the injury to Aguero was the key. I would disagree with that and for me it was the decision not only to play Demechelis but to play him in midfield was an absolute stinker. If Chelsea had won 4-0 they could have had no complaints. That choice of Demechelis deprived Man City of the points tonight in my mind. Baffling decision and what was more alarming was the fact that in the 90 mins nothing was done to rectify this glaring issue in the City ranks. Hats off to Mourinho I was jumping on the City band wagon tonight but say what you will about Mourinho the guy tactically is brilliant and may have just shifted the edge of the title race back to Stamford Bridge.
Ok, under 2.5 not great odds but feel i need to update the head to head…. and not a bus in sight. Ahem:
Head to head:
Mourinho – 6 wins has now become 7 wins
Draw – 1
Pellegrini – 1 win
Gavin Harper I couldn’t agree more with you absolute steal Chelsea’s price tonight and that’s coming from an arsenal fan!!