Manchester City are 4/7 to sign Carlos Tevez

Sky Bet expect striker to swap Old Trafford for Eastlands

Rejections from Ronaldinho and Kaka threatened to turn Manchester City into a laughing stock but following yesterday’s capture of Gareth Barry, they are being viewed as serious contenders to poach Carlos Tevez.

Mark Hughes has confirmed his interest in the Manchester United fan favourite and Sky Bet have priced him at 4/7 to move across the city.

Odds of 11/4 are available on Tevez having a change of heart and staying at Old Trafford, with a move to Liverpool 6/1 and a transfer to Real Madrid

Posted: June 3rd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Why Man United should win the Manchester derby

Man Utd/Man City, Sun 1.30pm, Sky Spts 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Photo Credit: Dave Thompson/PA Wire

There are plenty of stats which suggest that an upset could be in order on Sunday. Manchester United have won just one of their last four home games against City and just five of their last 14 league clashes with them while the visitors have won three straight league games for the first time all season and have started to remember how to win away from home. But while the pro-City stats show that the bookmakers are being stingy with odds on the home win, here are five reasons why the league leaders should triumph:

1. Manchester United have won 32 of their last 36 home league games, including 15 of the last 16.

2. Manchester City haven’t won four straight top-flight matches since November 1992. On the last two occasions that they have managed three in a row they have lost the fourth. They have also gone 14 games in all competitions without a draw.

Posted: May 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Man City are 3/1 to qualify but the signs aren’t too promising

Manchester City/Hamburg, 7.45pm, ITV4, Free Bets, Best Odds

Paddy Power and Bet365 are offering 3/1 on Manchester City overcoming their 3-1 deficit and knocking out Hamburg tonight but the statistics suggest that they will have to perform out of their skins to do so:

» Hamburg have only won five of their 14 away league games and have drawn one and lost four of their five visits to fellow Bundesliga top six sides.

» Despite this, their European record is amazing. The German side have won all five of their UEFA Cup away games, scoring 12 and conceding just three. They have scored at least two in every game and kept three clean sheets.

Posted: April 16th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Man City are good value for revenge on Fulham at 10/11

Man City/Fulham, Sunday 4pm, Sky Sprts 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Twelve months ago Fulham came from 2-0 down in the last 21 minutes to win 3-2 at Eastlands, kick-starting their Great Escape. However, Manchester City are a lot stronger at home right now and the 10/11 offered by Bet365 looks like great value:

» Manchester City have won seven consecutive home games, six of which came in the Premier League.

» Fulham have won just one of their 15 away league games this season.

» City have the third best home points average in the division.

Posted: April 10th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Hamburg’s strong home form isn’t good news for Man City

Hamburg/Man City, Thurs 7.45pm, ITV4, Free Bets, Best Odds

Martin Jol’s Hamburg are available at 11/10 with Boylesports to win the home leg of their UEFA Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester City. A glance at their home record suggests that those odds are very generous:

» Hamburg have played 21 matches at the HSH Nordbank Arena, winning 16 of those, drawing three and losing just two.

» In contrast, Manchester City have won just one of their last 19 on the road, drawing seven and losing 11 of those games.

» Only five of the last 14 English UEFA Cup quarter-finalists have progressed through to the final four. Even more significantly, only one won the away leg, with nine losing it.

Posted: April 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Manchester City’s away form isn’t as big an issue in Europe

Aalborg/Man City, 8pm, Five, Free Bets, Best Odds

Manchester City have been waiting seven months for a domestic away win but they don’t have struggle anywhere near as much in Europe. Here are five key stats to bear in mind when betting on their trip to Aalborg tonight:

» Mark Hughes’ side have gone fourteen domestic matches on the road without keeping a clean sheet but have shut the opposition out in three of their six European away games.

» The Citizens have been beaten just once in their six UEFA Cup away games this season - winning four and drawing one. The loss came 3-1 away to Racing when City’s qualification from the group stage was already assured.

Posted: March 19th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment