Adrian Mills’ best bets for Sunday’s clash at Stamford Bridge include three selections that form a 14/1 Bet Builder.
The standout match of the opening weekend of the Premier League season takes place on Sunday, when Chelsea and Man City do battle at Stamford Bridge.
The hosts start the season with another new manager, Enzo Maresca having been handed the task of trying to get the Blues back into the top four.
In contrast, City go in search of a fifth straight Premier League title and a seventh under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.
With mounting speculation that this could be the Spaniard’s final season at the Etihad, could he end on a high?
Selection
Draw
3/1
Cole Palmer to score
19/10
Chelsea over cards 2.5
7/10
Bet Builder returns 14/1
Draw looks on the cards
Both teams haven’t looked up to speed in pre-season, with several key players having an extended break after the European Championships.
If you are to catch out the champions it is normally early in the season and Chelsea will hope home advantage could give them an edge.
The two league meetings between the sides finished in draws in the 2023-24 campaign – 4-4 at the Bridge last November and then 1-1 at the Etihad in February.
It took an 86th minute winner from Bernardo Silva in the FA Cup semi-final meeting, with Chelsea guilty of missing several big chances.
It’s also worth noting that the hosts drew their opening game of last season, with a 1-1 scoreline against Liverpool in the capital.
Palmer out to prove a point
After making a big-money switch from City to Chelsea last summer, Cole Palmer has certainly taken the Premier League by storm.
The England star scored 22 league goals in his first season at Stamford Bridge, despite the Blues finishing in sixth and five points outside the top-four.
Many pundits have questioned City’s decision to sell the 22-year-old, who bagged England’s goal in their Euro 2024 final defeat.
Palmer enjoyed a memorable moment in this fixture last season, scoring a stoppage time equaliser in an eight-goal thriller.
That goal came from the spot, one of two penalties in that game and with Palmer on spot-kick duty there is every chance he will find the net again against his former club.
Yellows look on the cards for Chelsea
Chelsea picked up the most yellow cards in the Premier League last season, with 105 cautions in 38 matches.
That’s an average of 2.76 per game and, with City likely to be throwing numbers forward, they may be looking at more cards on Sunday.
With Maresca expected to play two holding midfielders in the middle of the park, that pair will be asked to break up play when Chelsea don’t have the ball.
It looks likely that Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez will be handed those roles, with the pair having picked up 18 yellows between them last season.
Chelsea collected now fewer than five yellow cards in this fixture last term, with eight dished out overall by referee Anthony Taylor.
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