Category: Soccer

Juventus vs. Man City same-game parlay predictions Dec. 11: Back Vlahovic and De Bruyne in Champions League match

Juventus vs. Manchester City predictions

A crucial Champions League fixture on Matchday 6 sees Juventus host Manchester City on Wednesday.

The pregame narrative: Juventus hasn’t lost in nine games, and I expect a result here against a slumping City squad. To round out the parlay, I added player props on Dusan Vlahovic and Kevin De Bruyne.

Check out my Juventus vs. Manchester City same-game parlay predictions for Dec. 11.

Juventus vs. Manchester City predictions

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Parlay: Juventus to win or tie + Vlahovic over 0.5 shots on target + De Bruyne over 1.5 shots (+310)

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Juventus to win or tie (-122): Juventus has struggled with consistency this season but is more than capable of taking points at home against Man City.

Despite not tasting victory in over a month, Juventus has only a single loss — a 1-0 defeat to Stuttgart on Oct. 22 — to its overall record.

Thiago Motta’s squad has shown character against big opposition, with away draws to Inter Milan (4-4), AC Milan (0-0), and Aston Villa (0-0).

A matchup advantage for Juventus is in midfield, which is a glaring weakness for City in recent months and an area Motta can easily exploit.

Juventus is great at playing through the middle and creating numerical advantages in central areas.

The midfield also gets a boost with Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz returning to link up with Manuel Locatelli.

Pep Guardiola’s side has been in dreadful form in recent months:

  • Man City has just one win in its last nine matches across all competitions.
  • Its last road win came against Wolverhampton on Oct. 20 with a go-ahead goal in added time.

City’s defensive struggles have been heavily documented since losing Rodri to a season-ending injury. Without the holding midfielder, the team is conceding more big chances from open play and counter-attacks.

Josko Gvardiol and Kyle Walker are defensive liabilities in the wide areas. Juventus has speedy wingers in Chico Conceicao and Kenan Yildaz, who can fly along the flanks and find crossing lanes for Vlahovic in the box.

I say City shouldn’t be priced as a decent-sized road favourite against a world-class side.

SGP legs

Vlahovic over 0.5 shots on target (-159): Vlahovic is back in the Juventus starting lineup, where his finishing prowess will be vital for this matchup.

When healthy, the Serbian international is firing plenty of shots.

  • The striker is averaging 3.88 shots and 1.52 shots on target per 90 in the Serie A.
  • He has recorded a shot on target in 10 of his last 11 starts.

Vlahovic is also great at generating shots through the air. His physical presence allows him to find spaces in the box to take headers off set-piece kicks.

City has allowed a woeful 1.96 expected goals against (xGA) per game in the Premier League since Sept. 23, per understat.com.

It’s also worth noting that Vlahovic serves as the team’s penalty taker.

De Bruyne over 1.5 shots (-195): De Bruyne’s workload has increased in recent games since missing time due to injury.

The City captain started in its last match at Crystal Palace, where he played for 86 minutes.

This season, De Bruyne is averaging 3.69 shots per 90 in the Premier League, ranked 92th percentile per Fotmob.

Juventus’ backline has allowed more shots since losing its best defender Gleison Bremer to an ACL injury.

City cannot rely solely on Haaland to score. With Phil Foden in poor form, De Bruyne has acted as the second attacking threat in midfield.

Picks made at 12:45 p.m. on 12/10/24.

Champions League Matchday 6 picks and predictions: Bet under on Leverkusen’s goal total against Inter

Champions League picks

Three goal totals are featured for this week’s Champions League predictions.

The pregame narrative: Bayer Leverkusen should have trouble scoring when they host reigning Italian champions Inter Milan in an eye-popping match. Elsewhere, back the overs in matches involving PSV and AC Milan.

Check out the best Champions League predictions for Matchday 6.

Champions League predictions

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Best Bet: Bayer Leverkusen under 1.5 total goals (-138)

Bayer Leverkusen has struggled to score against sturdy defences. I expect goals will be hard to come by when facing Inter Milan’s compact backline.

Slowly but surely, the reigning German champions have regressed from their historic campaign with cracks appearing in their armour.

In the competition, Leverkusen has failed to score multiple goals in three of five matches — including a 1-0 victory to AC Milan and a 1-1 draw to Brest.

Its recent domestic form hasn’t been convincing either. Last week, Leverkusen mustered just 1.07 expected goals in the 1-0 win at Bayern Munich despite playing with a man advantage for 76 minutes.

With top goalscorer Victor Boniface sidelined through injury and Patrik Schick on potential time constraints, Leverkusen won’t pose much of an attacking threat to Inter’s defence.

Simone Inzaghi’s squad is loaded with savvy veterans with the likes of Federico Dimarco, Matteo Darmian and Alessandro Bastoni. They can defend in a low-back setup and win back possession in the final third.

So far, Champions League opponents have yet to score off the Black and Blues, with clean sheets over British giants Manchester City and Arsenal.

Playing at home in front of an energetic crowd could see Leverkusen deliver a result, but scoring twice off Inter is a tall task.

Key stat: Inter Milan remains the only team in the Champions League to not allow a goal.

Quick picks

Brest/PSV over 2.5 goals (-138): I believe this matchup has the potential for plenty of goals.

It’s worth highlighting that PSV has scored 56 goals in the Eredivisie campaign. They have the highest mark from a team after 15 matches in 37 seasons, per OptaJohan on X.

Peter Bosz’s squad has the perfect blend of young and experienced attackers that can outwit opposing defences.

The American duo of Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman has taken the Dutch league by storm. They combined for 16 goals in the Eredivisie.

Offensively, Brest is rated below average in Ligue 1. But the squad has delivered on the grandest stage by scoring in four of its five matches in the competition.

PSV has just one UCL clean sheet and recently allowed two goals to an offensively-weak Shakhtar Donetsk side.

AC Milan/Red Star Belgrade over 3 (-125): This line is awfully low for a contest between two sides with explosive attacks and suspect defences.

For Milan, Christian Pulisic is expected to miss this match after sustaining an injury during the weekend. However, the attack is still packed with dangerous forwards Rafael Leao and Alvaro Morata.

In midfield, Dutch international Tijjani Reijnders has enjoyed a breakout campaign by scoring six goals in all competitions.

Paulo Moresca’s attack is more than capable of racking up goals off a Red Star Belgrade club that’s allowed the second-most goals (17) in the tournament.

Red Star recorded a goal in four of its five matches, most notably two off Spanish giants Barcelona.

With a goal total set at three, I say this is an overreaction to the loss of a star player.

Picks made at 1:45 p.m. on 12/09/24.

Champions League Matchday 6 picks and predictions: Bet under on Leverkusen’s goal total against Inter

Champions League picks

Three goal totals are featured for this week’s Champions League predictions.

The pregame narrative: Bayer Leverkusen should have trouble scoring when they host reigning Italian champions Inter Milan in an eye-popping match. Elsewhere, back the overs in matches involving PSV and AC Milan.

Check out the best Champions League predictions for Matchday 6.

Champions League predictions

Go to full Champions League betting markets.

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Best Bet: Bayer Leverkusen under 1.5 total goals (-137)

Bayer Leverkusen has struggled to score against sturdy defences. I expect goals will be hard to come by when facing Inter Milan’s compact backline.

Slowly but surely, the reigning German champions have regressed from their historic campaign with cracks appearing in their armour.

In the competition, Leverkusen has failed to score multiple goals in three of five matches — including a 1-0 victory to AC Milan and a 1-1 draw to Brest.

Its recent domestic form hasn’t been convincing either. Last week, Leverkusen mustered just 1.07 expected goals in the 1-0 win at Bayern Munich despite playing with a man advantage for 76 minutes.

With top goalscorer Victor Boniface sidelined through injury and Patrik Schick on potential time constraints, Leverkusen won’t pose much of an attacking threat to Inter’s defence.

Simone Inzaghi’s squad is loaded with savvy veterans with the likes of Federico Dimarco, Matteo Darmian and Alessandro Bastoni. They can defend in a low-back setup and win back possession in the final third.

So far, Champions League opponents have yet to score off the Black and Blues, with clean sheets over British giants Manchester City and Arsenal.

Playing at home in front of an energetic crowd could see Leverkusen deliver a result, but scoring twice off Inter is a tall task.

Key stat: Inter Milan remains the only team in the Champions League to not allow a goal.

Quick picks

Brest/PSV over 2.5 goals (-127): I believe this matchup has the potential for plenty of goals.

It’s worth highlighting that PSV has scored 56 goals in the Eredivisie campaign. They have the highest mark from a team after 15 matches in 37 seasons, per OptaJohan on X.

Peter Bosz’s squad has the perfect blend of young and experienced attackers that can outwit opposing defences.

The American duo of Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman has taken the Dutch league by storm. They combined for 16 goals in the Eredivisie.

Offensively, Brest is rated below average in Ligue 1. But the squad has delivered on the grandest stage by scoring in four of its five matches in the competition.

PSV has just one UCL clean sheet and recently allowed two goals to an offensively-weak Shakhtar Donetsk side.

AC Milan/Red Star Belgrade over 3 (-117): This line is awfully low for a contest between two sides with explosive attacks and suspect defences.

For Milan, Christian Pulisic is expected to miss this match after sustaining an injury during the weekend. However, the attack is still packed with dangerous forwards Rafael Leao and Alvaro Morata.

In midfield, Dutch international Tijjani Reijnders has enjoyed a breakout campaign by scoring six goals in all competitions.

Paulo Moresca’s attack is more than capable of racking up goals off a Red Star Belgrade club that’s allowed the second-most goals (17) in the tournament.

Red Star recorded a goal in four of its five matches, most notably two off Spanish giants Barcelona.

With a goal total set at three, I say this is an overreaction to the loss of a star player.

Picks made at 1:45 p.m. on 12/09/24.

EPL Matchday 15 picks and predictions: Back Bournemouth, take the over at Villa Park

EPL Matchday 15 Picks

I am featuring two bets at plus odds for this weekend in the Premier League.

The pregame narrative: Bournemouth came off a big victory earlier in the week and I believe it can keep rolling against Ipswich Town on Sunday. Before that, I like the over between Aston Villa and Southampton.

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EPL Matchday 15 picks

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Best Bet: Bournemouth to win (+108)

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Bournemouth continues to rise in the rankings with astonishing victories over upper-class opponents.

Most recently, the Cherries claimed a 1-0 victory over a strong Tottenham club at home grounds on Thursday but easily could’ve won by a bigger margin.

Relentless in attack, Andoni Iraola’s squad has generated more than 2.0 expected goals (xG) in four of its last five matches.

The trio of Justin Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo and Marcus Tavernier has been exceptional in creating scoring chances for striker Evanilson, who has become a force since coming over from Portuguese side Porto in the summer.

The defensive backline — which recently held the Spurs scoreless — is an improved unit from seasons past and should have little trouble in this match.

Now, Bournemouth hits the road to face a club that is destined for relegation.

Ipswich is dead-last in touches in the opponent’s box, recording 25 fewer than the next team.

Kieran McKenna’s strategy to build from the back spells disaster against a side that aggressively presses high up the pitch.

Defensively, they are tied for the second-worst xG conceded at 28.8, according to Fotmob.com.

A squad comprised of players from the second division, Ipswich doesn’t possess the quality to hang with the big boys.

I say there’s value in picking the Cherries to secure an away win against a weak opponent.

Key stat: Ipswich hasn’t scored in its last two matches, generating less than 0.60 xG to Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.

Quick pick

Aston Villa/Southampton over 3.5 goals (+112): This matchup has potential for plenty of scoring.

The Villians are trending up after a confidence-boosting 3-1 win over Brentford on Wednesday to snap an eight-game winless streak.

Led by Ollie Watkins, Villa’s attack is a lethal unit which can puncture defences on open-play and set-piece plays.

Villa has banged in six goals from set-piece play this season — tied for second-most with Everton.

On the other end, Southampton has allowed the second-most goals on set-pieces, at eight.

The Saints are the league’s worst defensive team, with the highest xG allowed (33.3) through 14 matches.

Offensively, however, Southampton posted over 1.0 xG in its last three matches including a two-goal performance off table-leaders Liverpool.

This season, six of its matches have had four or more goals.

In desperate need of points, I expect the Saints to press high in a negative game script and leave the back-line prone to counterattacks.

Southampton are deploying 29-year-old backup keeper Joe Lumley, who has played in only two Premier League matches.

With that said, this has the recipe for an action-packed contest.

Picks made at 4:12 p.m. on 12/06/24.

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls MLS Cup picks: Back L.A, goals in second-half

MLS Cup picks

The Los Angeles Galaxy will make their 10th MLS Cup Final appearance when they host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

The pregame narrative: The Galaxy have been dominant on their path to the Finals. I expect them to defeat the Red Bulls in 90 minutes with most of the scoring taking place in the second half.

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MLS Cup picks

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Best Bet: Los Angeles Galaxy moneyline (-118)

The Galaxy enter the final in excellent form, scoring 16 goals and conceding just three. I expect them to take care of business against a side that has been fortunate just to get there.

Greg Vanney’s L.A. squad features a dangerous attacking trio in Dejan Joveljic, Gabriel Pec, and Joseph Paintsil. They combined for 41 goals in the regular season.

The Galaxy will be without Ricard Puig, who suffered a torn ACL in last week’s win. The former Barcelona player has been the driving force in Galaxy’s midfield, but his absence is already baked into this line.

In his place, Marco Reus brings a wealth of big-match experience. He spent several years with Bundesliga’s Borussia Dortmund and the German national team.

Elsewhere, Diego Fagundez can slot in the attacking midfielder role while defensive midfielders Gaston Brugman and Marco Delgado are solid options in positive gameplay.

As for New York, the Red Bulls arrive at the big dance thanks to their defence, and perhaps some good fortune, too.

In their 2-0 victory over NYCFC, they were outpossessed (71-to-29 percent) and allowed 2.80 expected goals against on 25 shots. Against Orlando City, they were limited to a single shot on target, which came from a set-piece header off Andres Reyes.

Key stat: The Galaxy own the best home record in MLS at 13-3-1. Their lone defeat came back in July against LAFC.

Quick pick

Over 1.5 total goals – 2nd half (-125): If the playoffs thus far are any indication, the Final could feature an action-packed second half:

  • 66 percent (10 of 15) of the Galaxy’s playoff goals have come in the second half.
  • 63 percent (five of eight) of the Red Bulls’ playoff goals have been after half-time.

This match-up has the makings of one packed with late drama as the pressure intensifies.

Picks made at 3:20 p.m. on 12/04/24.

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls MLS Cup picks: Back L.A, goals in second-half

MLS Cup picks

The Los Angeles Galaxy will make their 10th MLS Cup Final appearance when they host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

The pregame narrative: The Galaxy have been dominant on their path to the Finals. I expect them to defeat the Red Bulls in 90 minutes with most of the scoring taking place in the second half.

Check out my MLS Cup picks.

MLS Cup picks

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Best Bet: Los Angeles Galaxy moneyline (-122)

The Galaxy enter the final in excellent form, scoring 16 goals and conceding just three. I expect them to take care of business against a side that has been fortunate just to get there.

Greg Vanney’s L.A. squad features a dangerous attacking trio in Dejan Joveljic, Gabriel Pec, and Joseph Paintsil. They combined for 41 goals in the regular season.

The Galaxy will be without Ricard Puig, who suffered a torn ACL in last week’s win. The former Barcelona player has been the driving force in Galaxy’s midfield, but his absence is already baked into this line.

In his place, Marco Reus brings a wealth of big-match experience after several years with Bundesliga’s Borussia Dortmund and the German national team.

Elsewhere, Diego Fagundez can slot in the attacking midfielder role while defensive midfielders Gaston Brugman and Marco Delgado are solid options in positive gameplay.

As for New York, the Red Bulls arrive at the big dance thanks to their defence, and perhaps some good fortune, too.

In their 2-0 victory over NYCFC, they were outpossessed (71-to-29 percent) and allowed 2.80 expected goals against on 25 shots. Against Orlando City, they were limited to a single shot on target, which came from a set-piece header off Andres Reyes.

Key stat: The Galaxy own the best home record in MLS at 13-3-1, with their lone defeat coming back in July against LAFC.

Quick pick

Over 1.5 total goals – 2nd half (-121): If the playoffs thus far are any indication, the Final could feature an action-packed second half:

  • 66 percent (10 of 15) of the Galaxy’s playoff goals have come in the second half.
  • 63 percent (five of eight) of the Red Bulls’ playoff goals have been after half-time.

This match-up has the makings of one packed with late drama as the pressure intensifies.

Picks made at 3:20 p.m. on 12/04/24.

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls MLS Cup odds: L.A. is favoured to claim the title

MLS Cup odds

Two teams on opposite coastlines battle for the MLS Cup on Saturday.

The latest: The Los Angeles Galaxy dominated the Western Conference playoffs and now host the Eastern-champion New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup Final. The Galaxy are heavy favourites at –335 to win the MLS Cup. Their opponents, the Red Bulls are +235 underdogs.

Here are the latest MLS Cup odds.

MLS Cup odds

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TeamOdds (Dec. 3)
Los Angeles Galaxy-335
New York Red Bulls+235

MLS Cup odds as of 2:54 p.m. ET on 12/3/2024.

Best MLS Cup odds

The favourite: Los Angeles Galaxy (-335)

Los Angeles finished second in the Western Conference with 64 points and a 19-7-8 record.

Grey Vanney’s attacking trio is comprised of franchise players Dejan Joveljic, Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec who combined for 41 goals in the regular season.

In the summer, the Galaxy signed former German international Marco Reus to give the club a set-piece specialist and an added veteran presence.

The 35-year-old midfielder led Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final before his move to the MLS.

Another thing worth noting is the squad’s tremendous form at home. The Galaxy sports the league’s best home record at 13-3-1.

The squad has lost former Barcelona midfielder Ricard Puig to a ligament injury sustained in the Western Conference final.

If there’s any weakness here, it’s the defence. The Galaxy allowed a 53.43 non-penalty xG in the season which ranked 23rd in the league.

L.A. is an overwhelming favourite to capture a league-best sixth MLS Cup.

Other MLS Cup choices

The underdog: New York Red Bulls (+235)

New York is the Cinderella story coming out of Major League Soccer.

The Red Bulls finished seventh in the conference table at 47 points with an 11-14-9 record. That makes them the lowest seed ever to feature in the MLS Cup.

They defied the odds by eliminating the reigning champions Columbus Crew, 2-2, via penalty kicks, before recording back-to-back clean sheets over New York City FC and Orlando City to reach the Final.

Lewis Morgan is the club’s best attacking threat. The former Celtic attacker scored 13 goals in the regular season but is scoreless in the playoffs.

His striking partner Dante Vanzier is in great form with two goals in his last three matches. The Belgian forward led the club with 10 assists in the regular season.

Sandro Schwarz’s squad is stout on defence as it sported a 41.28 non-penalty xG in the season — good for second-best in the Eastern Conference.

The Red Bulls don’t travel particularly well as they posted a 4-7-6 record in away matches.

After three straight shocking results, New York cannot be overlooked at an intriguing underdog price.

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EPL Matchday 14 picks and predictions: Back Arsenal, fade Man City

EPL Matchday 14 Picks

Two matches with clubs from Manchester are featured in a rare mid-week matchday in the Premier League.

The pregame narrative: Arsenal is on a rampage and I expect them to continue rolling against Manchester United on Wednesday. Before that, I like Nottingham Forest to keep a struggling Manchester City side within striking distance.

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EPL Matchday 14 picks

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Best Bet: Arsenal -1.25 (-108)

Arsenal is in immaculate form and I want to continue riding the momentum.

The 5-2 stomping of West Ham saw five different Gunners score in the first half, including two penalties and a header from a corner kick.

Captain Martin Odegaard is fully healthy, and his reinsertion into the starting 11 has had a big impact on both ends of the pitch.

Since April, Arsenal has been undefeated when the Norwegian midfielder is in the lineup.

His presence gives Bukayo Saka the freedom to find spaces on the flanks and take on opposing backs in one-on-one situations.

This presents problems for a Manchester United team that is still adjusting to a new system.

Ruben Amorim’s former side, Sporting Lisbon, suffered a 5-1 beatdown to Arsenal in the Champions League just a few weeks ago. The Gunners ran circles all over the same 3-4-2-1 formation and scored five times on 3.89 expected goals while creating five big chances.

A 4-0 victory against Everton on Sunday was Amorim’s first at Old Trafford. Despite netting four goals, they generated just 1.07 expected goals — per FotMob — and benefitted from a couple of clumsy errors.

United be without key players Kobbie Mainoo and centre-back Lisandro Martinez for this match.

The Gunners are seemingly back in form and look to narrow the nine-point gap from the top spot with a comfortable victory over the Red Devils.

Key stat: Arsenal won its last three matches overall with a margin of three or more goals.

Quick pick

Nottingham Forest +1.5 (-130): Manchester City are winless in its last seven games in all competitions as the reigning English champions were lifeless in its 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

The Citizens are getting exposed without Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who was the driving force of the entire squad.

Without him, City’s midfield has looked disjointed and is susceptible to more final-third box entries and counterattacks.

Mateo Kovacic and John Stones, both with defensive midfield experience, are sidelined for Wednesday’s match with injuries.

In its last four league matches, City has conceded 10 goals while scoring just two.

Nottingham Forest, once a relegation contender, has since exceeded expectations by landing in the top half of the table with 22 points through 13 matches.

Earlier in the season, the Tricky Trees brought Liverpool to its lone defeat of the season and held formidable foes Chelsea, Newcastle and Brighton to draws.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad is great at limiting chances by clogging the central areas of the pitch and disrupting the opposition.

Forest owns the second-lowest non-penalty xG in the Premier League (12.39), according to theanalyst.com.

With a respectable 3-2-1 away record this season, Forest can feel they can make it a competitive game at the Etihad.

Perhaps this is where City snaps its winless streak, but I don’t expect it to come by a multi-goal margin.

Picks made at 1:00 p.m. on 12/03/24.

EPL Matchday 14 picks and predictions: Back Arsenal, fade Man City

EPL Matchday 14 Picks

Two matches with clubs from Manchester are featured in a rare mid-week matchday in the Premier League.

The pregame narrative: Arsenal is on a rampage and I expect them to continue rolling against Manchester United on Wednesday. Before that, I like Nottingham Forest to keep a struggling Manchester City side within striking distance.

Check out the best EPL Matchday 14 picks.

EPL Matchday 14 picks

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Best Bet: Arsenal -1.25 (-104)

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Arsenal is in immaculate form and I want to continue riding the momentum.

The 5-2 stomping of West Ham saw five different Gunners score in the first half, including two penalties and a header from a corner kick.

Captain Martin Odegaard is fully healthy, and his reinsertion into the starting 11 has had a big impact on both ends of the pitch.

Since April, Arsenal has been undefeated when the Norwegian midfielder is in the lineup.

His presence gives Bukayo Saka the freedom to find spaces on the flanks and take on opposing backs in one-on-one situations.

This presents problems for a Manchester United team that is still adjusting to a new system.

Ruben Amorim’s former side, Sporting Lisbon, suffered a 5-1 beatdown to Arsenal in the Champions League just a few weeks ago. The Gunners ran circles all over the same 3-4-2-1 formation and scored five times on 3.89 expected goals while creating five big chances.

A 4-0 victory against Everton on Sunday was Amorim’s first at Old Trafford. Despite netting four goals, they generated just 1.07 expected goals — per FotMob — and benefitted from a couple of clumsy errors.

United be without key players Kobbie Mainoo and centre-back Lisandro Martinez for this match.

The Gunners are seemingly back in form and look to narrow the nine-point gap from the top spot with a comfortable victory over the Red Devils.

Key stat: Arsenal won its last three matches overall with a margin of three or more goals.

Quick pick

Nottingham Forest +1.5 (-121): Manchester City are winless in its last seven games in all competitions as the reigning English champions were lifeless in its 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

The Citizens are getting exposed without Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who was the driving force of the entire squad.

Without him, City’s midfield has looked disjointed and is susceptible to more final-third box entries and counterattacks.

Mateo Kovacic and John Stones, both with defensive midfield experience, are sidelined for Wednesday’s match with injuries.

In its last four league matches, City has conceded 10 goals while scoring just two.

Nottingham Forest, once a relegation contender, has since exceeded expectations by landing in the top half of the table with 22 points through 13 matches.

Earlier in the season, the Tricky Trees brought Liverpool to its lone defeat of the season and held formidable foes Chelsea, Newcastle and Brighton to draws.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad is great at limiting chances by clogging the central areas of the pitch and disrupting the opposition.

Forest owns the second-lowest non-penalty xG in the Premier League (12.39), according to theanalyst.com.

With a respectable 3-2-1 away record this season, Forest can feel they can make it a competitive game at the Etihad.

Perhaps this is where City snaps its winless streak, but I don’t expect it to come by a multi-goal margin.

Picks made at 1:00 p.m. on 12/03/24.

Liverpool vs. Man City same-game parlay predictions Dec. 1: Bet on Foden to be effective, Salah to get on scoresheet in +270 ticket

Liverpool vs. Manchester City predictions

The top clubs in the Premier League clash in a mouth-watering contest on Sunday, as red-hot Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield.

The pregame narrative: Liverpool has scored multiple goals in each of its last seven matches, so I am confident in that happening against a shaky defence. To round out the ticket, I’m adding player props on Mohamed Salah and Phil Foden.

Check out my Liverpool vs. Manchester City same-game parlay predictions for Dec. 1.

Liverpool vs. Manchester City predictions

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Parlay: Liverpool over 1.5 goals + Salah to score or assist + Foden over 1.5 shots (+270)

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Liverpool over 1.5 goals (-136): Liverpool has the attacking firepower to puncture the best defences in Europe. It will be determined to keep the offence flowing against its arch-rival at home.

The Reds have scored multiple goals in 10 of 12 league matches. Meanwhile, Manchester City has conceded two or more in each of its last six games — including three to Feyenoord on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola will be compelled to adjust his tactics to limit scoring chances, but without Rodri in midfield, there is little defensive stability in the central areas.

A multi-goal performance would help Liverpool secure a win and stifle its rival’s chances of defending the crown.

SGP legs

Salah to score or assist (-127): Mohamed Salah has been a thorn in the sides of Manchester City defenders in recent years and this match should be no different.

He’s scored or assisted in seven of his last eight matches against Manchester City, dating back to 2020.

Lately, City has struggled to contain speedy wingers like Salah from dribbling the ball into the 18-yard box.

Right-back Josko Gvardiol has been a defensive liability in City’s backline and will see plenty of the Egyptian winger.

Salah has the most goal contributions (16) in the Premier League, four ahead of Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka who are all tied for second.

He will be eager to extend his scoring streak to six games while leaving the defending champs in the dust.

Foden over 1.5 shots (-180): The Citizens cannot rely on Erling Haaland to score all the goals so Phil Foden has to step up here.

Last season, Foden scored 19 goals for City but is still searching for his first this season.

Liverpool’s backline took a big hit as Ibrahima Konaté will miss several weeks with an injury. His absence should free up space for Foden to maneuver in the box.

With Manchester City trailing in recent matches, Foden’s shot tally has spiked to an average of 3.0 shots in his last four league matches.

I expect the British superstar to continue peppering goalies with City’s title hopes in danger.

Picks made at 1:04 p.m. on 11/29/24.