Chelsea wish to raise eyebrows with a different approach, aiming to surprise the Premier League champions as they meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Maresca, one of Guardiola's former assistants at Man City, is still inspired by Pep's philosophy. The Italian hopes to shake up the odds as he identifies a few liabilities in the game plan of his mentor. Will his enthusiasm prove convincing enough to his boys or will City make another statement win to open up the campaign?
Either way, my Chelsea vs. Man City predictions and free betting picks see an open game with goals coming from both sides.
EPL predictions for Chelsea vs Man City
My best bet:
Over 3.5 (+130 at Betano)
My analysis
Man City won their fourth consecutive title this summer and are looking to extend their unprecedented streak with another domestic triumph.
There's always tension when these two sides meet. Their preseason confrontation in a friendly played in Columbus on August 4 was no different. City came out 4-0 winners. By the 56th minute, they were up 4-0. Goals from Raheem Sterling ('56) and Madueke ('89) eased the tone among Chelsea's faithful, but City's superiority was obvious.
Chelsea conceded 2+ goals in four of their six friendlies this summer, winning just one match, a 3-0 triumph over Mexican side Club America. Maresca will change Chelsea's tactical approach, but his ideas take time to work.
Guardiola knows it and will want to exploit every lack of chemistry he sees in his opponent's game. City will look to extend their current nine-match winning streak in the Premier League and they've scored 2+ goals in each of those games over that span.
Chelsea is no stranger to goal shows either. They've gone Over 2.5 goals in 12 of their last 13 Premier League outings. It's just the first Premier League weekend this season, so I expect an open game with loads of action at both ends.
Chelsea vs Man City same-game parlay (SGP)
Over 3.5
Over 10.5 corners
Cole Palmer 1+ shots on target
Can this match be dominated by the confrontation between Cole Palmer and Erling Haaland? It sure can. Palmer is a Man City graduate who left the club to get more playing time, and the move proved excellent to both him and Chelsea, as the 22-year-old scored 27 goals and assisted another 15 in his 48 games last season.
Each chance he gets to face City is a special occasion, so expect him to be as involved as possible in trying to threaten the opposite goal. I wouldn't miss him from my SGP for this game. Haaland, on the other hand, looks to be in great form at the start of the campaign, as he's hungry to break even more records.
Neither of these managers will accept losing control of the match and neither will opt for a defensive approach, so expect action at both ends.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Chelsea vs Man City odds
Chelsea vs Man City live odds
Chelsea vs Man City odds
- Moneyline: Chelsea +280 | Man City -118
- Draw: +290
- Over/Under: Over 2.5 (-188) | Under 2.5 (+150)
Chelsea vs Man City game info
| Location: | Stamford Bridge, London, England |
| Date: | Sunday, 8-18-2024 |
| Time: | 11:30 a.m. ET |
| TV: | Peacock |
| Weather: | 74F, 7.6 mph winds, 0% chance of precipitation. |
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