Clear number for the goal-hungry Sky Blues?
Just before the international break, defending champions Manchester City suffered a minor setback in their battle for the Championship.
The Sky Blues lost 2-1 at home to Brentford, widening the gap on leaders Arsenal to five points. West Yorkshire will now be looking to follow suit, with much to be said for Leeds vs Manchester City at Tip 2.
Not only did the Citizens already win 4-0 away at Elland Road last season, but Pep Guardiola’s side are also the benchmark away from home overall. The Sky Blues have lost only one of their last 24 Premier League away games (17 wins, six draws). Consequently, our prediction for Leeds against Manchester City goes for an unchallenged three-goal win for the visitors.
This could well be a high-scoring affair between the two teams. While Manchester City are the Premier League team with the highest number of goals scored, with 40 goals scored and 14 conceded in a total of 54 goals, the Whites have also had a torrid time of it recently. In the four Premier League games involving Leeds, a total of 22 goals were scored – an average of 5.5 per game.
In the end, we suspect the Sky Blues can hold their own in West Yorkshire with at least a two-goal difference, and consequently recommend the Asian Handicap of -1.5.
Leeds – Statistics & current form
Leeds United have won the national championship in England three times and the FA Cup in 1972. The Whites have also made several international appearances. In 1973 they reached the final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup. In 1975 they reached the final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Most recently, however, the club from West Yorkshire has experienced completely different times. In 2004, the Peacocks were relegated from the Premier League and spent 16 years on the fringes of the country’s top flight. It was not until the summer of 2020 that the traditional club returned.
Lost five of last seven league games
After finishing a near-sensational ninth in the final table of their first year and near-relegation in 17th last season, the Whites are still fighting to stay in the league.Jesse Marsch’s side have picked up 15 points from their 14 league games so far, a meagre two-point cushion over the first relegation spot.
Things did not go too well, especially in the weeks leading up to the World Cup break. The Peacocks have lost five of their last seven Premier League games (two wins). Consequently, the betting odds on Leeds against Manchester City are against LUFC, who also lost their last Premier League home game to date 4-0 against the Sky Blues.
Elf of 15 points scored at home
Overall, though, things went quite satisfactorily at home to Elland Road. Eleven of the 15 points were taken at home, where the last home game was won 4:3 against Bournemouth.
It is noticeable that the Whites’ matches have been very high-scoring lately. Leeds have scored a total of 22 goals in their last four Premier League games – 5.5 goals per game. No other Premier League team has scored more goals in this period…
Predicted Leeds line-up:
Meslier – Sruijk – Cooper – Koch – Kristensen – Roca – Klich – Summerville – Aaronson – Gnonto – Rodrigo
Last matches played by Leeds:
Club friendlies
22/12/2022 – Leeds 2 – 4 AS Monaco
17/12/2022 – Leeds 2 – 1 Real Sociedad
09/12/2022 – Leeds 2 – 1 Elche
Premier League
12/11/2022 – Tottenham 4 – 3 Leeds
Carabao Cup
10/11/2022 – Wolverhampton 1 – 0 Leeds
Manchester City – Statistics & current form
Manchester City are currently the poster boys of English football. The Sky Blues have won six of their eight national championships in the last ten years, lifted the FA Cup twice and the EFL Cup six times in the last decade and reached the final of the Champions League for the first time in 2021.
The only thing that hasn’t worked out so far is the trophy. But the Citizens have another chance this season. In the top flight, Pep Guardiola’s side secured unbeaten victory in Group G and will meet RB Leipzig in the last 16 next year.
The best attack in the Premier League
But before that, the reigning champions will be looking to reclaim their place on the sunny side of the Premier League. The duel with Arsenal suffered a major setback before the Winter World Cup when they surprisingly lost their home match against Brentford 2-1.
Nevertheless, the Sky Blues are in a good position with ten wins from 14 games. With 40 goals, Guardiola’s team is by far the most dangerous attacking force in the Premier League, and new signing Erling Haaland has already scored 18 times. The prediction for a high-scoring away win at Leeds against Manchester City is accordingly clear.
Only lost one of the last 24 Premier League away games
Anyway, things have gone extremely well for the Citizens away from home recently. Manchester City have lost only one of their last 24 Premier League away games (17 wins, six draws). In the course of this series, they also won their last match at Elland Road by a clear 4-0 margin.
For the first time since September 2000, the Sky Blues could now win two consecutive away games at Leeds United, which looks very likely given that they already recorded a 3-2 victory over Liverpool last week in their first competitive game since the World Cup.
Predicted Manchester City line-up:
Ederson – Gómez – Dias – Stones – Cancelo – Rodri – Gündogan – De Bruyne – Foden – Mahrez – Haaland
Last matches played by Manchester City:
Carabao Cup
23/12/2022 – Manchester City 3 – 2 Liverpool FC
Friendly club matches
17/12/2022 – Manchester City 2 – 0 Girona
Premier League
12/11/2022 – Manchester City 1 – 2 Brentford
Carabao Cup
10/11/2022 – Manchester City 2 – 0 Chelsea FC
Premier League
05/11/2022 – Manchester City 2 – 1 Fulham
Leeds – Manchester City Direct comparison / H2H record
Head to head: 43 – 18 – 47
There have been a total of 108 meetings between the two sides so far and with 47 wins, the Sky Blues lead the head-to-head comparison. On their return to the Premier League, Leeds did remain unbeaten against the Citizens in the 2020/21 season. Last season, however, Manchester City won both games by a combined 11-0 scoreline against the Whites.
Leeds – Manchester City Tip
In all caps, the odds are swinging in the direction of the Sky Blues in Leeds v Manchester City, who have not only lost just one of their last 24 Premier League away games, but were also 4-0 winners over the Whites in their last visit to Elland Road. With goal machine Haaland, it could be another clear-cut affair, especially as the Peacocks have conceded 11 goals in their last four Premier League games alone.
Leeds have also lost five of their last seven league games overall and don’t go into the game overly in-form, which is why we’re tipping Leeds vs Manchester City to see the Sky Blues win by at least a two-goal difference at Elland Road.
