Manchester City was the odds on favorite to win the Premier League a month ago, and most figured that it would never ultimately give up the lead this year. That said, the Citizens enter Match Day 14 third on the table, albeit just two points back of Leicester City.
This week's match against Southampton isn't going to be easy for sure, knowing that the Saints have been the model of consistency these last couple years as middling club.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Manchester City -180
Southampton +525 Draw +320
Over/Under 2.5 (over -143)
ODDS ANALYSIS
This is an interesting spread for sure. Manchester City is dominant at home as you'd figure at 5-0-2, but there have been some puzzling results at the Ethiad as well. Southampton actually hasn't lost this year on the road, joining Leicester City as the only team which can say that.
That said, the Citizens are the -180 favorites and are favored by a goal on the Asian Handicap.
Meanwhile, knowing that Man City has to score some goals to cover this one, the total is set quite high by EPL standards at 2.5 and over -143 vig. Then again, it's worth remembering that no team in the league has scored more goals at home than has Manchester City with 20.
KEY INJURIES
There are still a few key members of this Manchester City team still on the mend, though the most important of the bunch, Sergio Aguero is back. Joe Hart has a hamstring problem he picked up in the Champions League on Wednesday. Eliaquim Mangala has a hamstring issue as well. Both men are questionable.
The guaranteed absences include Wilfried Bony, Samir Nasri and Vince Kompany. David Silva is also likely out as he continues to recover from a hamstring problem
Graziano Pelle is one of the top offensive threats for this Southampton side, but he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last time out against Stoke City last weekend. As a result, he'll be suspended for this match, leaving the Saints in a real lurch.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"It's a difficult moment for the team. That's why in this moment, I am not so unhappy in the way we played because we didn't have many chances to make substitutions. We'll have that problem going forward." – Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini on the loss during the middle of the week against Juventus
RECENT FORM
Both of these teams have to get out of their minds their recent history. Southampton was dropped by Stoke City at home 1-0 last weekend, not the way Ronald Koeman expected to come back from the international break in the middle of the month in a match which really should've been won.
City meanwhile, has had three straight matches which have brought Pellegrini's job once again into question. The Citizens were beaten 1-0 against Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, and that came on the heels of the stunning 4-1 loss at home against Liverpool last weekend. Let's also remember that Aston Villa pulled off a scoreless draw against them just before the international hiatus as well.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Manchester City really has some problems here with all of these injuries. The soccer team isn't getting forward enough, nor is it creating all that many chances of quality either.
Throw in the fact that this club has had to play two games this week, and the makings are there for another somewhat surprising result.
We want the one goal on the Asian handicap on our side for sure, and it wouldn't be all that stunning if the Saints pulled this one out of the fire. The reason we're not sold though, is that Pelle isn't going to be on the pitch.
Manchester City 1, Southampton 1
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