Sunderland v Man City: Citizens in mood to expel Wearside hoodoo
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Sunderland deserve enormous credit for becoming the first team in any competition to keep Chelsea at bay this season, but that 0-0 will have taken its toll on Gus Poyet’s side.
Not great news then, that Manchester City are served on a midweek platter next, fresh from putting Southampton to the sword at St Mary’s earlier on Saturday, and starting to create momentum.
City’s poor recent record at the Stadium of Light shouldn’t be discounted, but it is no coincidence that the champions are rated as hot 8/15 favourites to take the points and feature in all three of our best bets for the match.
The fact that City have succumbed to four consecutive 1-0 defeats at the Stadium of Light would be reason to forgive punters for thinking the 10/1 on a Sunderland win to nil is by far the better bet.
However, there are a few factors going into this game which would indicate the difficulty in Sunderland repeating those heroics, especially as they’ve not won in four and only scored once in three home league games.
Moreover it is City’s form and ability to stretch weary legs which will count.
Manuel Pellegrini’s title hopefuls made it three wins in all competitions by thrashing an accomplished Saints side 3-0 before this one, and look good value to take advantage of their goal-shy hosts in similar fashion.
After that 8-0 shambles at St Mary’s, Poyet’s side have at least responded with a new-found resoluteness as displayed in successive 0-0 draws, while Arsenal were the last team to put two past them, five games ago.
City will have to work hard for their victory.
For an eighth successive match in all competitions against Southampton, Pellegrini’s side failed to take an advantage into the half-time interval, with this bet landing three times during this run.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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