Premier League: Man City to shrug off European blues with Hammers win
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Manchester City will have to prove their mettle at the Etihad, where an in-form West Ham United await the title chasers. Following more European woe midweek, as the Sky Blues fell to Italian giants Juventus, the Citizens are odds-on with Coral at 2/7 to get back on track with a home victory here.
The challenge for Manuel Pellegrini’s men is to overcome their recent wobble and pick up where they last left off in the Premier League, having won all of their five fixtures so far, notching 11 and conceding none.
Man City’s miserly rearguard should be crucial on the road against the free-flowing Hammers and, with Joe Hart manning his posts masterfully, the visitors are 21/20 to win to nil for the sixth successive league game in a row.
Should any new punters fancy placing a stake on the Mancunians, who have defeated West Ham to nil in four of their past five meetings across all competitions, to taste victory without conceding again, they may be wise to take advantage of Coral’s cracking new customer offer of 8/1 for that to unfold.
The Citizens may have to make do without resurgent skipper Vincent Kompany, potentially allowing Nicolas Otamendi to make his first start in Sky Blue. In better news for the Etihad outfit, top striker Sergio Aguero may be fit for this fixture and is an excellent 11/4 to have the final say.
Man City also have an abundance of in-form attacking midfielders, with schemers David Silva and Raheem Sterling both a stupendous 7/4 to hit the back of the net anytime, and Belgian artist Kevin De Bruyne a tempting 2/1 in the same market.
Guests the Hammers will surely not go down without a fight, however, and Croatian coach Slaven Bilic appeared optimistic ahead of the clash.
“We know what we have to do to have a chance. They are the favourites but I am expecting us to have a good game and if we have a good game we have a chance,” Bilic said, having already scalped both big-guns Arsenal and Liverpool away.
In the hunt for a another famous victory, the capital club are 9/1 to emerge winners, or a more reasonable 5/1 to split the spoils.
A dazzling display last time out against Newcastle United saw Dimitri Payet score a double, and the fantastically in-form Frenchman is 14/1 to hit the first again.
Returning battering ram Andy Carroll is 7/2 to gobble-up a chance anytime, while Victor Moses, a dangerous debutant against the Magpies, is 6/1 in the same market.
Betting tip: Back Sterling @ 7/4 to get on the scoresheet anytime
