Monday 21/04/2014, 21:00, England Premier League, Round 34, Manchester City vs West Brom
Manchester City vs West Brom Betting Preview
Nobody expected Manchester City to crumble under pressure and drop precious points at home against lowly Sunderland. The visitors were almost relegated yet they put up quite a fight and had they be just a little bit luckier, they could've gotten away with all three points. The hosts are still in pursuit of leading Liverpool, but in order to stay within striking distance they can't afford any mistake and a victory over West Bromwich is a must.
Manchester City vs West Brom Betting Odds
At Bet365
Manchester City 1.20, Draw 7.50, West Brom 16.00
Manchester City vs West Brom Betting Tips
Manchester City has played just 33 games this season, which means that they still have two matches in hand over the leaders. The problem is that the distance separating them from Liverpool is now of nine points, which means that only a miracle can help the Citizens win the title in 2014.
The remaining rounds are pretty difficult and with 3 key players sidelined, the hosts are overly concerned about more players picking up injuries. This is not the time to rest anyone though, because not winning against West Bromwich will further aggravate their problems and it will even jeopardize their third place.
Manchester City have one of the best defenses in the Premier League, but they still allowed six goals in the last three rounds and won just once. Nastasic will be missing from the defense, but the player that the host will find truly irreplaceable is midfielder Yaya Toure. He has scored 18 goals this season, more than the most prolific strikers and his absence will leave an unfillable void in the midfield.
By contrast, the visitors have just one player unable to play and this won't matter one bit, as West Bromwich will be aiming the draw. Their confidence has been boosted by the fact that Sunderland did it as well earlier this week, so they will resort to a 5-4-1 starting formation.
Key Facts
- Scocco will spearhead the visitors' offensive, but he will be stranded upfront and his chances of finding the back of the net are remote.
- Manchester City won six of the last seven games between the two teams, with the last West Bromwich victory occurring in 2010.
Manchester City vs West Brom Betting Prediction
Their morale might be shattered following the disappointing draw against Sunderland, but Manchester City will be keeping the hope alive with a home win. The odds for such an outcome are ridiculously low, so instead I would be betting on more than 3.5 goals to be scored. The hosts' defense is surprisingly permeable of late and there is plenty of value in the odds of 1.91 offered by bet365 to justify the risk.
Bet: Over 3.5 goals @ 1.91 with Bet365
