Everton v Manchester City: Leaders can gobble up another three points from trip to Goodison
‘HUNGRY and angry,” was how Manuel Pellegrini described his players after losing out on the Premier League title last season.
His comments came in the wake of the victory over Chelsea last weekend, the second time in two games that his side had gorged themselves with a 3-0 win to march to the top of the table.
On the menu this weekend are Everton.
The Toffees secured their own impressive 3-0 success last time out, at Southampton, but the 2-2 draw at home to Watford the week before shows their fallibility.
City actually have a poor record at Goodison Park – they’ve only won there three times in the Premier League era. Everton have 10 victories and there have been five draws in that period.
However, four points have been plundered over the last two seasons, and City won both home games during that period too.
They have got their chequebook out again this week, with tough, yet technical centre back Nicolas Otamendi joining from Valencia to reinforce Pellegrini’s defensive options.
The visitors are firm favourites at 4/6 with Sportingbet and I’m happy to get on them at that price.
At 4/1 with Sportingbet, Everton are unlikely winners, and the draw is a best-priced 16/5 with the same firm.
The spotlight will again fall on Raheem Sterling after a relatively slow start to his City career in which he’s not found the back of the net and has been substituted in both games.
He’s among the favourites to score first, at 6/1 with Sportingbet, but never scored in the Merseyside derby for Liverpool.
Yaya Toure, in particular, appears to have recovered his appetite for City and has been excellent in both matches.
The Ivorian looks to be back to his dominant best and I’d prefer to back him at the bigger price of 13/2 with Sportingbet in the same market.
▀ Pointers…
Man City at 4/6 (Sportingbet)
Yaya Toure to score first at 13/2 (Sportingbet)