Best Odds: 8/13
Bookmaker: Unibet
With a golden chance to make a return to winning ways on Tuesday night, Manchester City will welcome a struggling West Brom to the Etihad in midweek.
Manchester City
Starting with the hosts, while Manchester City might have managed to recover from that shock 2-0 defeat away at Tottenham last month, the Sky Blues have struggled to lay down much of a marker. Opening the midweek fixtures sat all the way down in ninth and enduring their worst domestic start in recent memory, Pep Guardiola’s side settled for what was an incredibly dull 0-0 stalemate across Manchester at Old Trafford over the weekend. Desperate to make up some ground and replicate a similar level that saw them cruise their way to the knockout stage of this year’s Champions League earlier in the month, the former Barcelona boss should at least be boosted by his side’s recent improvements at the back. Although Tuesday’s hosts might still be struggling to find their usual clinical edge in front of goal, the former Premier League champions have managed to secure a clean sheet in each of their last six straight contests across all formats.
Team News
Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero is being assessed after he missed the Manchester derby through illness.
Eric Garcia remains absent and is set to miss the Christmas schedule with a muscle injury, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is also still sidelined.
West Brom
As for the visitors, while West Brom might have tried to mount a spirited comeback away at St. James’ Park over the weekend, the Baggies were hit with a late 2-1 defeat against Newcastle. With the pressure really starting to mount on Head Coach Slaven Bilić, the Premier League returners make the trip to Manchester on Tuesday night already sat three points adrift of safety in the drop zone. While the former West Ham boss might have seen his side manage to pick up their first victory of the season thanks to a 1-0 win against fellow strugglers Sheffield United when drawing a close to November, that appears to have been just a minor bounce for the Midlands outfit. With many tipping the Baggies to be hit with an immediate Championship return this season, Tuesday’s guests could still be feeling their effects after their woeful 5-1 drumming at the hands of Crystal Palace earlier in the month. Losing five of their last six Premier League outings, Bilić’s side faces an unenviable task in midweek.
Team News
West Brom will again be without the services of defender Kyle Bartley due to a calf injury.
Sam Field is another injured absentee, with Matheus Pereira also missing as he continues to serve a three-match ban.
Key Factors to Consider
- Manchester City have won the last 13 meetings in league and cup by an aggregate score of 37-9, a club-record run against another top-flight side.
- The Sky Blues have managed to record a clean sheet in each of their last six straight matchups across all competitions.
- Pep Guardiola’s side are without defeat in four home league games, keeping clean sheets in all three wins (D1).
- Along with losing five of their last six Premier League contests, West Brom have managed to collect just a single win all season.
- The Baggies have conceded a league-high 25 goals.
Conclusion
While Manchester City might have failed to make much of a statement at Old Trafford over the weekend, the Sky Blues know that have a golden chance to make up some ground. Unbeaten in their last six contests and also managing to book their spot in the knockout stage of this year’s Champions League, a struggling West Brom have a stern test on Tuesday night. Losing five of their last six Premier League contests and firmly at the heart of a relegation scrap, it should also be noted that the Baggies hold a woeful record against Pep Guardiola’s side. With City now managing to record a clean sheet in each of their last six matchups, we’re backing a similar outcome in midweek.
Verdict: Manchester City win to nil
Best Odds: 8/13
Bookmaker: Unibet
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