Manuel Pellegrini’s men may be odds on but Paddy Power are offering new customers the chance to avail of a very generous price on either of the two main contenders
Chelsea’s victory at Liverpool last weekend may have put them second in the Premier League table but the bookmakers agree with Blues boss Jose Mourinho, who said his side have little chance of securing the title this season.
That leaves Manchester City and Liverpool to battle it out and, this weekend, Paddy Power are offering new customers the chance to back either of the main title contenders at 4/1 (5.0).
Manuel Pellegrini’s men are currently the odds on favourites, having been 9/2 (5.50) in places before Liverpool’s 11-match winning run came to an abrupt end at the hands of Chelsea on Sunday.
City then went on to record a routine 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace – who themselves came into the game at Selhurst Park on a fantastic run of form – to cement their position as title favourites, despite sitting in third position ahead of the next round of matches.
City’s game in hand and superior goal difference (currently eight better than Liverpool) means they look worthy favourites ahead of Saturday’s trip to Goodison Park, so the chance to back them at 4/1 (5.0) instead of the current industry-best price of 5/6 (1.83) looks a solid option for punters who want to have a good chance at starting their account off with a win.
There will be those who doubt City’s ability to gain maximum points from their remaining three games, though, and a case can be made for Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool side, who have been so impressive over the last three months, making the transition from also-rans to dark horses, all the way through to 1/5 (1.20) favourites for the Premier League title before their defeat last weekend.
The combination of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez, amply supplied by the likes of Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho and Steven Gerrard has been irresistible at times and they will have their supporters at 11/8 (2.38) in anticipation that they can either turn around the goal difference target (which looks a possibility with Newcastle in such lethargic form) or that Manchester City drop points over the next two weeks to allow them a way back in.
As a result, Paddy Power’s offer of 4/1 (5.0) should also prove popular, especially with Manchester City’s recent trips to Everton bearing very little fruit and Roberto Martinez insisting that his side will be fully committed to trying to gain maximum points to boost their chances of European football, even if a positive result hands Liverpool the upper hand in the title race.
Whichever of the two teams is your pick for Premier League glory over the next two weeks the chance to back them at a vastly enhanced price looks too good to turn down for anyone without a Paddy Power account.
Jim Knight is Chief Betting Editor at Goal.com and has been tipping football games since he was old enough to place a bet. He is a Leicester City fan, writer and member of the We Are Going Up Podcast