Man City vs Swansea: Tough introduction for visitors awaits
Published:After watching QPR and Norwich start Premier League life with varying degrees of success, Swansea fans will fear the worst ahead of the toughest introduction to the top-flight of any of the newcomers at the Etihad Stadium…
Match odds
Manchester City showed rare defensive frailty in squandering a 2-0 lead against Manchester United in last week’s Community Shield but despite that, they are 1/4 favourites to see off the challenge of promoted Swansea.
Roberto Mancini’s side were brilliant in front of their fans in the second half of last season, triumphing in nine of their last ten at their recently renamed ground and each of the last five, drawing the other.
The Swans struggled on their travels at Championship level in 2010-11, winning nine and losing 11 of their overall 23, so will have their work cut out improving on that against a higher standard of opposition.
Odds of 9/2 on the draw and 11/1 on the away victory shows how difficult it will be to avoid defeat, with the main crumb of comfort that they can take being that the hosts haven’t won any of the eight Premier League games so far this weekend.
Other markets
Manchester City were involved in a five-goal affair last week but Mancini will want to get back to the business of keeping clean sheets on Monday night, something they did better than anyone else last term with 18, including 12 at home.
The Citizens are evens to win to nil and under 2.5 goals has the look of an attractive wager too at 6/5 given that Swansea’s defensive record was integral to their promotion, as they conceded an average of 0.91 goals a match.
First goalscorer is tough to call in this encounter with Tevez not expected to feature and Sergio Aguero likely to be a substitute, so a flutter on an in-form outsider is worth considering.
Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott has netted in each of his last three appearances and is 20/1 to keep that run going with the opener.
