The EPL Betting Breakfast brings you analysis and tips for all the hottest early morning Premier League matches every week. This week is no different. We break down the biggest match that Week 22 has to offer right here, as league champions and current leaders Manchester City welcome London powerhouse and second-place, Chelsea. The stakes will be as high as they can be as these two Goliaths collide at Etihad this cold winters weekend. It's the top two teams we feature here, but make sure you head over to Fanduel Sportsbook, where you can check all the latest odds.
Manchester City vs. Chelsea Match Information
Manchester City (17-2-2, 53 points: 1st Place) | Chelsea (12-7-2, 43 points: 2nd Place)
Match Date: Saturday, January 15
Match Time: 7:30 am ET
Venue: Etihad Stadium – Manchester, England
Manchester City vs. Chelsea, Moneyline, Over/Under, and Odds
Moneyline: Manchester City -150| Draw +300 | Chelsea +400
Over/Under 2.5 Goals: Over -126 | Under +102
Odds to Win the league: Manchester City -1200 | Chelsea +3200
Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk-free for up to $1,000!
Manchester City vs. Chelsea, News, Analysis, and Picks
Manchester City vs. Chelsea Predictions and Picks
- Manchester City (-150)
- Over 2.5 (-126)
Already ten points behind Manchester City (-150) for the top spot in the EPL, Chelsea (+400) boss Thomas Tuchel knows that this campaign has not yet witnessed a game more important than this one. Lose and slip to third, 13 points back or win and Chelsea stay alone in second, only seven points back and everything to play for.
Chelsea, winners of only two of their past eight, now find themselves ten points adrift in a league that they were recently in control of. Only six weeks ago, the Blues were winning every game and on top of the league. A conspicuous downturn in defensive prowess appears to be an area of concern for Chelsea as they have only one clean sheet in those eight games and have allowed 10. The new flood of goals crossing the Blues' backline is an alarming enough statistic. Add in that miraculous keeper Edouard Mendy is on international duty, leaving Chelsea without its game-saving stopper, and we have a disaster brewing. Then a look at Chelsea's remaining stoppers; the perfect storm is complete. Missing are defenders Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, and Thiago Silva. The ill-timed scratches of four of Chelsea's best defenders are about as bad as it gets when it coincides with a trip to Etihad Stadium.
While only ten points ahead of Chelsea, Manchester City seems miles ahead. Winning 11 in a row now, Man City is beginning to show signs of running away with it as they are taking games even when they play poorly. They were composed at Emirates Stadium, where they were trailing most of the game but found answers in the second half to an Arsenal side that had them cornered.
Manchester City injuries are also on a bright note. With Pep Guardiola expertly utilizing his squad depth by spreading out responsibilities, Man City has been "fortunate" to avoid injuries to their central core. The Sky Blues have bagged twenty goals in five games while Chelsea's defenses are declining. Look for Manchester to stamp their authority on this game after a long rest against a depleted Chelsea side on a frozen northern England pitch. Take City to win and take the over 2.5 for some more coal for the fire.
All EPL predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid
