Why Manchester City won’t win the worst televised match of the season

Bolton/ Manchester City, 4pm, Sky Sports 1, Free £10 bet

Last Sunday the Premier League put on a brilliant show: Liverpool ended Chelsea’s 86 match unbeaten home run, Tottenham picked up their first win of the season, Robinho scored three fantastic goals and Emmanuel Adebayor came off the bench to single-handedly beat West Ham. How do you follow that? Apparently by making Bolton versus Manchester City, a tie that has finished goalless for two consecutive seasons, the only game on the box. Here’s why Sky have made a bad decision and City won’t win:

Five reasons why Manchester City won’t win at the Reebok

1. Two wins against Sunderland aside, Manchester City haven’t won a domestic away game since beating the champions Manchester United at Old Trafford in February.

2. The Citizens haven’t won or even scored at the Reebok in the league in the last three seasons, going five hours and eight minutes without a goal.

3. Mark Hughes’ side have kept just one clean sheet in their last ten domestic away games.

4. Manchester City

failed to score in four of their six away games against their North West rivals last season and failed to beat anyone but Manchester United.

5. Taking away their double success over their Manchester rivals, City won just one of their other ten encounters home and away against clubs from the North West.

Under 2.5 goals can be backed at 4/5 with Paddy Power while the 9/4 they offer on under 1.5 is quite appealing. Here’s why:

» There has been no more than one goal scored in the last four meetings between the two sides at the Reebok.

» Eight of the last nine contests between the two sides at either ground have featured under 2.5 goals with six featuring under 1.5.

» Bolton have failed to score in three of their five home league matches this season and haven’t managed more than one since their opening day victory over Stoke.

» Only West Brom can match Bolton’s dreadful average of just 0.80 goals a match in the ten league games so far this season.

For Bolton’s current form and first goalscorer stats, go to chickendinner’s Bolton stats centre

For Manchester City’s current form and first goalscorer stats, go to chickendinner’s Manchester City stats centre

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Posted: October 31st, 2008 by Michael Lintorn |