Will Man City return to the top of the table?
The moods surrounding the two clubs set to face off in a Premier League make-up match on Wednesday evening couldn’t be more different. We are, of course, talking about the clash between Burnley and Manchester City, for which a bet on an away win should really be a mere formality.
While the home side hasn’t won a league match in over two months and would be mathematically out of contention with an expected home loss to City, the visitors’ belief in winning the English championship has long since returned. Thanks to their victory in the top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal over the weekend, Pep Guardiola’s side now even has the chance to jump to the top of the table with a win!
There are no real doubts about a three-point haul from Erling Haaland and Co. in the run-up to the match. The Sky Blues are in remarkable form and, following their bitter exit from the Champions League, have won all four of their most recent competitive matches—three of them without conceding a goal and all three by a margin of at least two goals. Their opponents were Arsenal (twice), Chelsea, and Liverpool.
Furthermore, the Burnley vs. Manchester City prediction in favor of the title contenders is bolstered by the fact that no other club in the English top flight has earned more points on the road since early December, and the Citizens also boast an outstanding record of 26 wins and three draws in their last 29 Premier League matches against promoted teams.
Meanwhile, the Clarets have increasingly become a highly welcome opponent. They have won just one of their last 24 league games (1-7-16). Their last home win dates back to October. For the third time in a row, the Clarets are set to be relegated immediately after promotion. Manager Scott Parker remains in charge, however, which, to make matters worse, is expected to lead to a fan boycott of this home game.
Since no other team has conceded more goals before halftime, and since the Citizens boast the strongest first-half offense, I think it makes sense to bet on the odds between Burnley and Manchester City that the overwhelming favorite will take control of the match within the first 45 minutes.
Burnley – Manchester City Head-to-Head Record
The head-to-head record provides further arguments for betting on Manchester City. 14 of the last 15 Premier League matches went to the Sky Blues (one draw). The multiple champions haven’t lost to their upcoming opponent since 2015. Most recently, there have been eleven straight City wins, with the majority of these victories coming by very wide margins. Looking back at just the last five matchups, Pep’s side has a 19-2 goal difference (!).
The first leg at the end of September was also a clear-cut affair in favor of the title contenders.
For this reason, among others, the Burnley vs. Manchester City odds on Haaland and his teammates scoring at least once in both halves deserve their place on our betting slip.
Burnley – Manchester City Tip
Rarely in this Premier League season has the situation before kickoff been so one-sided. Burnley, second-to-last in the standings, who haven’t won since mid-February and have recently suffered a string of defeats—some of them heavy—face what is likely the team in the best form on the island. Manchester City recently celebrated four consecutive wins, looking extremely dominant in the process, and even has the opportunity on Wednesday night to jump to the top of the table. The prerequisite is an away win at Turf Moor.
In my opinion, the question isn’t whether City will win away, but by how much. Instead, it will be exciting to see by how much Pep’s team wins the match and, above all, how quickly they can settle the matter. In any case, I’m convinced that the Sky Blues will capitalize on their advantages in the first 45 minutes and possibly even go into halftime with a two-goal lead.
