Stoke City vs. Manchester City Preview
Where: bet365 Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
When: Saturday, August 20, 7:30 AM ET
Line: Manchester City -165 at Stoke City +360, tie +270; total: 2.5 – view all Premier League lines
TV Broadcast: NBCSN
Writer’s Pick: Draw (+270)
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Betting on Stoke (+360)
Stoke’s Premier League campaign got off to a rocky start as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Middlesbrough on Saturday. Xherdan Shaqiri spared the Potters’ blushes as his second-half free kick helped rescue a point for Stoke. The Potters are now winless in their last seven Premier League season openers, drawing three and losing four.
For the Potters to replicate that feat this coming weekend, they will need to bring the same commitment in midfield that they showed against Middlesbrough in their Premier League opener. The Potters dominated possession in that match, controlling 54 percent of the ball against the Boro. That enabled Stoke to launch 12 shots against Middlesbrough.
The Potters are pegged at +182 to score first in this match.
Betting on Manchester City (-165)
Manchester City started off their season on the right foot with a 2-1 home win over Sunderland, but it was a far from convincing performance overall. They created precious few goal scoring opportunities and their late match-winner was an own goal from Sunderland’s Paddy McNair. On the bright side, though, new boys Nolito and Johne Stones all played well on their debut. Willy Caballero also put in a decent shift while starting in goal over Joe Hart.
The Englishman’s absence from the starting XI is the most eye-catching decision of Guardiola’s early days at City, and will raise the question whether Hart’s 10-year stay at the Etihad Stadium could be coming to a sudden end. He has made 347 appearances for the Citizens, winning two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two League Cups and 63 England caps. That being said, it’s hard not to trust Guardiola after all the accomplishments he has achieved in world football. With the victory against Sunderland, he has now won the opening league game of the season as a manager in each of his past seven seasons (one for City, three for Bayern, three for Barcelona).
For City to make it back-to-back wins against Stoke, they will need Sergio Aguero to step up his play this coming weekend. He is the top-scoring player in the Premier League so far in 2016 with 18 goals in 19 matches. Aguero scored a penalty in the Citizens’ 4-0 victory against Stoke last April. He has scored six goals in six league meetings with Stoke.
The Citizens are pegged at -215 to score first in this match.
Writer’s Prediction
Stoke and Manchester City cancel each other in a drab 0-0 draw (+270).
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