At 7:30 a.m. ET, tune into NBC Sports Network for live television coverage of this EPL match on Saturday, August 20, 2016, at Bet365 Stadium.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Stoke City +375
Manchester City -144
Draw +285
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
Goals could be flying into the back of the net in this match, and the total at 2.5 with -140 vig on the over suggests just that. These two teams love to be forward-thinkers on offense, and clearly, both are going to be expected to at least threaten to put one home in what could be a wide open affair.
City is favored due to its massive name and relatively successful start to the season, but that -144 margin isn't overly convincing.
Stoke City can be had at +375 here at home, a place where it went 8-4-7 last year.
Key Injuries
We're already seeing some key names facing injuries for Stoke City this year. Stephen Ireland is out until at least February after breaking his leg last May, and Jack Butland is likely out for at least the next two to three weeks after getting hurt last week against Middlesbrough. Add in the long-term injury to Ibrahim Afellay and the thigh problem which is plaguing Glen Johnson, and this is clearly not the start of the season which boss Mark Hughes envisioned.
We'll talk more about some of the potential exits from City in a moment, but in terms of the injuries on the pitch, Guardiola still has big problems. Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure are still both dealing with a lack of fitness after a long summer full of international fixtures, and it is unknown whether either will make their season debut in this one. We already know that Leroy Sane won't be starting this week either.
Recent Form
An own goal was the only thing separating Man City from Sunderland in the first week of EPL play. Guardiola will be happy to get his three points for sure, but the match was far more of a war than it probably should have been. Interesting for sure was the fact that both Joe Hart and Pablo Zabaleta were unused subs, and Jesus Navas started the year out on the bench instead of in the Starting XI where he probably figured he would ultimately be this year.
Xherdan Shaqiri was the man of the hour for Stoke against newcomer Middlesbrough to open up the 2016-17 season. After falling behind by a goal on the road against the newly promoted side, the Potters stormed back to level the terms with a goal from their best creator out of the midfield.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Even though Guardiola is probably going to get this all right at City at some point, we have our doubts right away. The team wasn't fantastic in the opening week of the season, and with Hart upset and likely leaving in short order and Toure also in doubt to ever put on sky blue again, there are certainly more questions than answers.
This Stoke team quietly finished in the top half of the table this year, and with Shaqiri, Mark Arnautovic, Mame Diouf and Bojan Krkic together, this club is quietly starting to amass a side which could contend for a Top 6 finish this year to get into the Europa League in 2017-18.
Most certainly we want the half-goal on the Asian Handicap on our side, and we wouldn't be shocked if City left Bet365 Stadium without anything to show for its work.
EPL Odds: Stoke City 2, Manchester City 1
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