Manchester City vs Sheffield United
The opportunity is there for the Sky Blues to take as they host the Blades at the Etihad Stadium this Saturday evening.
Manchester City, who recently made their way to the top of the Premier League standings, will aim to widen the gap over their rivals after this contest.
They have 41 points as of this writing and trailing behind them are Manchester United and Leicester City, who have 40 and 39 points apiece.
Pep Guardiola’s men have been lurking in the shadows for much of the 2020/21 season. And with seven straight victories off the bounce, they have suddenly become the team to beat.
Given how this term has unfolded, indeed, there are no clear-cut favourites for this year’s championship unlike last season.
For them to continue their surge, Manchester City should learn from their rivals in Manchester United after seeing them lose last night to Sheffield United.
Sheffield United, who are at the bottom of the English top-flight table with only eight points, caught the Red Devils in an off night and gave them one of the biggest shocks of this season.
The SBOTOP betting odds predict that it won’t happen this time against the Sky Blues. But as they say in the world of football, the ball is round and anything can happen.
Talking Points
Can Manchester City stay on top for good?
Manchester City have been one of the favourites to win the title this season, but it took them quite some time to be in the position they’re in right now.
Their campaign has been mired by injuries and COVID-19, and those factors killed their momentum in some stretches.
However, the Sky Blues continued to stay within the top four so they were always a distant threat. And now that they’ve caught fire, they are playing with a pep in their step.
Since losing to Tottenham in late November, Manchester City have been on a roll.
Although that was followed up by lacklustre draws versus Manchester United and West Brom, they managed to hold on and the victories soon followed.
However, staying on top will be a whole different animal altogether and perhaps they are facing their biggest roadblock yet.
Maestro playmaker Kevin De Bruyne suffered a hamstring injury that would sideline him for at least four to six weeks, which means that the others have to step up.
Ilkay Gundogan seems to be the ideal candidate to try and fill the void in the middle, while Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Ferran Torres, and Rodri will have their share of chances as well.
Sheffield United gunning for another upset
The Blades continue their itinerary to Manchester hoping that they’ll beat another top-notch local club in City. However, it will be much easier said than done.
Sheffield United’s campaign has been putrid as they’ve sunk to the bottom of the standings, so there’s nowhere to go but up for this squad.
To start the new year, Sheffield United’s Premier League 2021 results have been a mixed bag and they would prefer to have more consistency to try and salvage their season.
Significant production has to come from their star players in order for them to grab the points that they’ll need.
David McGoldrick has been the lone bright spot for the Blades with six goals and two assists, but his strike partners in Billy Sharp and Oliver Burke have only accounted for five goals and two assists.
History
The Sky Blues and the Blades don’t have much history together prior to this contest as they’ve only faced each other eight times since the turn of the century.
Manchester City own the edge in the head-to-heads with five wins, while Sheffield United have only won once along with two draws.
Last season, Manchester City achieved a double over Sheffield United, but those wins weren’t as convincing as it should have been.
Betting Tip
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Manchester City vs Sheffield United | Manchester City Asian Handicap -2.00 @ 1.71 |
| January 30, 23:00 (GMT+8) |
If you’re looking to gain significant value for your weekend bets, rooting for a Manchester City victory is certainly the way to go.
They are the overwhelming favourites in the Premier League 2021 odds as they are priced at 1.13, while Sheffield United are pegged at 15.00 and chances for a draw are at 8.50.
Pep Guardiola’s team is arguably much deeper than Manchester United, so this should be an easy win for them this weekend.
While Chris Wilder’s side is coming in here with confidence, the Sky Blues’ firepower might prove to be too much, giving them a harsh reality check.
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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