Sunday should be an intriguing day in the finale at Liberty Stadium. It's entirely possible that Swansea City ( 16-8-12, 56 Points ) could put itself in a spot to qualify for the Europa League if it can pull off a stunner against Manchester City ( 22-7-7, 73 Points ).
ODDS ANALYSIS
Considering the fact that these two teams are only separated by six spots right now in England, it's a bit surprising to us to think that Manchester City is the heavy odds-on favorite on the road in this one.
The Citizens are set at -144 on the moneyline, while you can have Swansea at either +400 on the three-way line or +0.5 ( +124 ) on the Asian handicap.
The total is the highest of the weekend at 3 ( under -127 ).
KEY INJURIES
After a year filled with injuries, Manuel Pellegrini does have a relatively full side to choose from going into the run-in. The argument could be made that this is one of the best teams in the world when healthy, and only missing Samir Nasri isn't the end of the world.
The Swans have had some tremendous injuries problems down the stretch. They have lost Thomas Carroll, Jordi Amat, Kyle Naughton, Nelson Oliveira and Wayne Routledge for the campaign, though Gerry Monk just seems to keep finding bodies to replace these men with ease in his system.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Of course, it was going to be difficult, but we've done it all season. We've played games where we've dominated and won, and we've had games where we've had to set up like this, concede possession a little bit… If we didn't play, I don't know how we got three points." – Swansea City manager Gerry Monk after his team pulled off a thrilling upset at Arsenal last weekend to keep Europa League hopes alive
RECENT FORM
Swansea is on house money right now. This team never figured to be just two points back of a spot in the Europa League at the end of the season. Alas, the Swans have nine straight points to their credit to draw nearer, and they are very probably two wins from European competition next season.
The Citizens weren't welcoming at the Ethiad against QPR last weekend. They thrashed the 'Gers 6-0 to send them plummeting into the Championship, while along the way, clinching a spot in the Champions League next season. With four straight victories under their belts, a fifth could clinch second place with some help.
TALKING TOTALS
A lot of Swansea's success has had to do with its defense. This unit has been fantastic, allowing just two goals in its last four matches, both of which came against Newcastle at St. James' Park three weeks ago. Four of the team's last five have stayed under the number.
Totals have been all over the place in these Man City matches of late. The club has dropped six on QPR, three on Aston Villa, and three on West Brom, but the over is only 4-3 in its last seven overall.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
It's got to be tempting to want to bet on Manchester City after seeing what we saw last Sunday against QPR. However, this is an away fixture instead of one at home, and it is a duel where Swansea is a much better side.
The Swans are clearly playing out the season on a high. They are overmatched in this clash, but they have been overmatched before and have pulled through. It's a horrid road trip at a bad time for Manchester City, and we love the Swansea defense to make a stand against one of the hottest offensive teams in the league.
We actually fancy the upset in this duel on Sunday at a very stellar price of 4 to 1.
Swansea City 2, Manchester City 1
BookMaker has EPL lines for every match of the season. Manchester City is lined as a -144 moneyline favorite, while the total is set at 3 ( under -127 ). You can make a futures bet and predict the champion, wager on head-to-head matchups or use BookMaker’s live betting feature to gamble while the match is happening.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The fixture between Manchester City and Swansea City is scheduled for Sunday, May 16, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. ET at Liberty Stadium. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.
