Premier League preview and odds: Stoke City vs Manchester City

Premier League preview and odds: Stoke City vs Manchester City

August 20 , 2016 12:30pm - Bet365 Stadium

Premier League

Pep Guardiola will take charge of his second Premier League game on Saturday when his Manchester City side travel to the Bet365 Stadium to take on Mark Hughes` Stoke City.

Premier League favourites face Stoke City challenge

It has become something of a football cliché for English pundits to question how Europe`s elite teams, players and coaches would cope on a "Cold Tuesday night in Stoke." Of course, that type of comment shows a complete lack of understanding of the difficult conditions that exists in other leagues and also undermines some of the achievements of the games most respected figures.

So this Saturday - although it will not be a Tuesday night and it can hardly be considered cold - English football fans and pundits alike will finally get to see how Pep Guardiola measures up to the mythical footballing benchmark that is Stoke City away.

So how will Pep cope on a warm Saturday afternoon at the Bet365 Stadium? Well, the Spanish coach had a fairly unremarkable start to his Premier League reign last week, leading his side to a narrow 2-1 win at home to Sunderland. But with such a short pre-season schedule, it was perhaps inevitable that Manchester City would take a few games to get going.

They did show some ominous signs of improvement in midweek when they cruised to a 5-0 win away to Steau Bucharest in the first leg of their opening Champions League qualifying game. In that game, striker Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick despite missing two penalties and also showed signs that he and new No. 9 Nolito could forge a dangerous partnership this season.

Meanwhile, Stoke City began their campaign with a 1-1 draw away to Premier League new boys Middlesbrough. Having finished in ninth place for the last three season, the Potters` boss will be looking for improvement this term having spent over £18m on Joe Allen and Ramadan Sobhi in the summer tranfer market.

Team news

Jack Butland, Stephen Ireland and Ibrahim Afellay will all be missing for the home side.

Meanwhile, the visitors will have to cope without Leroy Sane, Ilkay Gundogan and Vincent Kompany.

Recent form (League)

Stoke City: DLWDL

Manchester City: WLWLD

Betting odds and tips

If Manchester City can carry their midweek European form into this game, Pep Guardiola should expect to bag his first Premier League away win.

You can back the away win at 4/6.

By Neil Morris

Go To bet365

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17/08/2016     © Frixo 2024