Although they are playing the remainder of the season with the Sword of Damocles proverbially hanging over their heads, Manchester City have shown no signs of taking their foot off the gas pedal following the long absence. The Citizens have been the most dominant team in English football since the sport’s return last week, thrashing Arsenal and Burnley to move their record to 20-3-7. They won’t be able to catch Liverpool to win their third straight league title, but they should cruise to a second place finish, and they are favorites on the road against Chelsea this week in the Premier League.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Stamford Bridge in London, England at 3:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 25, 2020. Catch every moment of the match live on NBCSN.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Chelsea FC +296
Manchester City -128
Draw +293
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
Frank Lampard has brought respectability back to Stamford Bridge. Due to their transfer ban, Chelsea were seen as a fringe contender for a top four spot this season, but the Blues appear set to be back in the Champions League as they are currently five points ahead of both Manchester United and Wolves.
Before the long break, Chelsea were the first team to beat Liverpool in an English Premier League match in over a year. They shut out the Reds 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, and they have won three straight league games at Stamford Bridge ahead of this match. The Blues had to erase a halftime deficit to beat Aston Villa on Sunday though, as Christian Pulisic tied it following a lovely cross from Cezar Azpilicueta in the 60th minute and Olivier Giroud provided the game winner just two minutes later off a deflection.
There were some questions about Manchester City’s focus following a 2-0 loss to Manchester United in their last match before English football’s return. However, those questions have been tossed to the side following City’s blowout wins of Arsenal and Burnley. The Citizens hammered the Gunners 3-0 with Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, and Phil Foden netting goals, and Riyad Mahrez and Foden tallied braces in a 5-0 defeat of the Clarets on Monday.
Key Injuries
Chelsea have been without Marco van Ginkel for almost two years, and he is unlikely to ever play a game again for the Blues due to repeated injuries. Fiyako Tomori is expected to miss a week due to a muscular injury, while Callum Hudson-Odoi is considered questionable to play on Thursday.
The loss of Sergio Aguero for the rest of the season is a tough blow for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City. Aguero was leading the team with 16 goals, but a torn knee ligament against Burnley has him on the mend until next campaign. Eric Garcia is mandated to be out for at least one more game following a scary collision with Ederson that resulted in a concussion, and John Stones, Claudio Bravo, and Foden are all listed as questionable for this match.
Matchup to Watch
The absence of Aguero will certainly hurt City, but it’s not like this club is lacking for offensive weapons. Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez are both exceptional players, and Kevin De Bruyne is the best distributor in English football. However, it will be strength against strength as N’Golo Kante leads arguably the best defensive midfield in the Premier League.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Chelsea have some advantages ahead of this match. The Blues have played one less game since the restart, and they have had an extra day off prior to this game. They came close to earning a result in the Etihad earlier this season, so Chelsea are a great bet to pick up a result on Thursday at this price.
English Premier League Odds: Manchester City 1, Chelsea FC 1
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