Man City to win (-1) – 1/2
After Liverpool returned to winning ways against Brighton on Saturday, it is imperative that City match their result to keep the title race alive. City have scored 16 goals in their last two games, albeit against lower league opposition, but still look in ruthless goalscoring form.
The Sky Blues’ home league form is formidable to say the least.
Apart from a shock defeat to Crystal Palace before Christmas, Pep’s men have won every league game at the Etihad and have won eight of them by more than one goal. It stands to reason that that trend will continue on Monday.
City’s attack is relentless, and it is virtually impossible for away teams to keep them out. Even Liverpool, who have by far and away the best defensive record in the league, struggled to prevent them scoring and conceded more than one goal in a league game for the first time this season when they travelled to the Etihad.
Wolves will certainly make life difficult for them, but a City team in desperate need of a win should have too much for them.
Both teams to score – 11/10
Wolves are no mugs and have taken more points against the top six than any other team outside the top six. Liverpool are the only top six team that they haven’t managed to pick up a result against, but they did manage to knock them out of the FA Cup last weekend.
Wolves held City to a draw in controversial circumstances in August, but they more than held their own against the champions and can take plenty of encouragement from that going into Monday night’s game.
They had the game plan to hurt City at Molineux, playing a slick brand of football that caused them problems, even if the Citizens did dominate possession as they always do.
City have hardly been watertight at the back recently either. Clean sheets against lowly Rotherham and Burton Albion aside, they haven’t kept a clean sheet in nearly two months. Hammering teams that couldn’t pay the wages of one City player does not mask the fact that teams have been getting at the Citizens far easier than usual.
City’s last home league clean sheet came in October and they have been coughing up consolation goals for fun. At odds against, both teams to score is very good value.
Raheem Sterling to score anytime – Evens
Sterling has come in for a lot of unwarranted criticism this season from certain tabloids, but is still averaging a goal every two games in the league.
His finishing may leave a lot to be desired, but he constantly gets himself into dangerous positions and by law of averages, he will always be in with a shout of grabbing himself a goal. He may not score regularly in big games, but Sterling’s record in comfortable home wins is right up there with Romelu Lukaku.
This season, the English winger has scored in home victories against Fulham, Brighton and Southampton among others and this feels like another game where he’ll get himself onto the scoresheet.
Sterling appears to be the type of player who needs three chances if he’s going to score, but he should get three chances served up to him on Monday.
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