Football Tips: Goals galore in our 3 best bets for Man City v Aston Villa

Our tipster Andrew Cunneen guides us through Aston Villa's trip to Manchester City on Wednesday.

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Manchester City against Aston Villa is a lot of different things, but perhaps one we never expected it to be billed as is the clash of the runaway Premier League leaders from October versus the soon-to-be runaway leaders of the same competition. It’s not often a side has back-to-back Premier League fixtures away in Manchester, but congratulations to Dean Smith’s side on at least managing one piece of history this year, even when it seemed like they were destined to become the big club they bizarrely consider themselves to be after they trounced Liverpool.

Of course, I jest. Villa’s brilliance in this year’s Premier League may not quite be reflected in the league table as blatantly as it was a few months ago, but I admire sides who just go for it. Their only draws this season have come against Burnley, where they took 27 shots – and a 1-1 draw at Chelsea, which we won’t knock them for.

All that being said, Pep’s charges are firing again and God help anyone who has them in the next few weeks. Particularly if you’ve been out of action since New Years Day. Here’s three of the best for City and Villa on Tuesday evening.

Wednesday 6pm: Manchester City v Aston Villa
BT Sport 1

Gabriel Jesus to Score Anytime

Aston Villa have not conceded a goal to a midfielder from open play yet this season in the Premier League. You can dress that up whatever way you want to, but what it suggests to me is that their midfield unit – consisting of the infallible John McGinn is exceptionally disciplined at tracking opposing runners off the ball.

While Villa do squeeze up to ensure that lack of space in front of them, there is, of course that inherent danger that teams who move the ball quickly have acres in behind when they get to the byline and pull back. Unfortunately for them, that appears to be the exact attacking blueprint they’ll be facing against City.

Jesus should benefit the most from this – and Villa would be right to discard him in most instances as he’s inherently wasteful, but with the run City are on at the moment, it’s hard to see them fail to create enough opportunities for the Brazilian to bag. We’re on Gabriel Jesus to Score Anytime.

Pep Guardiola Manchester City

Both Teams to Score

Villa, for all their faults, are aggressive. And while some may consider this over-zealous, I think they’re the right fit for the Premier League in a season where absolutely everyone is going hell for leather.

The teams who aren’t are the likes of Newcastle and Crystal Palace – and there’s a lesson to be learnt there: don’t be like Steve Bruce and Roy Hodgson when everyone’s trying to get eyes on the league from their television screens. Since that 4-3 loss to Southampton, Villa have equalised in every single game in which they’ve conceded the opening goal – to Brighton, West Ham, Chelsea and Man United.

Even their U12s managed it against Liverpool. They’ll score here making Both Teams to Score a very appealing bet.

Over 3.5 Goals

With City finding their form in front of goal again, it’s only a matter of how many they fancy in this game really, especially with Villa having such a lengthy lay-off. We could easily see Over 3.5 Goals in this game. Still, at least the title race was fun while it lasted, yano?

Tips for Man City v Aston Villa

Gabriel Jesus to Score Anytime
Both Teams To Score
Over 3.5 Goals

These three selections in a bet builder will give you odds of around 3/1 with Paddy Power.

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

More tips for Wednesday

Read More

Get the latest football odds on PaddyPower.com

THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW