It seems remarkable to be talking about a Premier League decider in January. However, that is the reality of this fixture that brings together the top two teams in the standings. It is no doubt a six pointer because a win for Manchester City gives them a 13 point advantage at the top of the table.
If the visitors prevail the lead is just seven points and that brings Liverpool back into the mix. They would be 11 points adrift of City with two games in hand, including a trip to the Etihad. Chelsea are the second best team in the Premier League but this is the biggest test of the season.
City were the favourites to beat Chelsea in the final of the Champions League last season. However, the underdogs found a way to win. Coach Thomas Tuchel will look to replicate that performance and he has the experience to get things right again as we suggest in our Premier League picks.
Manchester City v Chelsea Odds, Picks and Betting Trends
| Bet | Odds |
| Man City to win | -154 |
| Draw | +300 |
| Chelsea to win | +400 |
Match Result
Chelsea to beat Manchester City
The thought of opposing Manchester City at home does seem bizarre but that is the case with this fixture. In essence you could say it’s a one-off match because we are discussing a potential title-decider. Chelsea beat City in the FA Cup semi-finals and that Champions Final last season, both 1-0, which were winner takes all fixtures.
The latest betting with PointsBet make the home team the -152 favourites. However, it’s interesting to note that Chelsea are shortening in the match result betting with some UK books. There could be a feeling that Chelsea have the tools to win this make-or-break fixture.
The temptation is to anticipate that City would be happy with a draw to maintain their points lead in the Premier League table. That is not how Pep Guardiola operates so the City coach is unlikely to send out a team to avoid defeat. Chelsea have bought in to the Tuchel way and are playing as a fully committed team rather than individuals. We are making them the pick in this match.
Total Goals Prop Bet
Manchester City v Chelsea under 2.5 goals (+100)
In massive meetings of this nature you rarely see a goal fest. An early score could open up the match but we anticipate a cagey initial spell. It’s not in Chelsea’s nature to adopt a gung-ho approach and one goal was enough to win those two recent huge fixtures. In fact, three of the last matches have produced just one goal and that trend can continue on Saturday.
First Goal Scorer Prop Bet
Romelu Lukaku first goalscorer (+800)
Betting on the first scorer in a soccer match is fraught with danger and that is reflected in the odds which are framed massively in favour of the bookie. If Chelsea do come away with all three points they must score a goal. They have a striker who has scored 259 goals in 528 domestic matches. So, we are tipping Romelu Lukaku to score the first goal in Manchester this weekend.
