Manchester City v West Ham tips: Premier League best bets and preview
Champions Manchester City have had a good week as they welcome West Ham to the Etihad, and Jake Osgathorpe expects them to cap it off with another win.
Football betting tips: Premier League
2pts Manchester City to win and Under 3.5 Goals at 13/10 (bet365, William Hill)
Pep Guardiola's side are bang in form, and that is despite missing key forward players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish.
They crusied past Everton last weekend, and their league xG process now reads 2.23 xGF and 0.71 xGA per game.
Defensively they have been excellent, with teams finding it very difficult to create any kind of opportunities against them.
Kick-off time: 14:00 GMT, Sunday
Man City 1/4 | Draw 5/1 | West Ham 10/1
Even PSG, with all their incredible attacking talent, really struggled to carve out any meaningful chances in midweek as City beat Les Parisiens 2-1 to secure top spot in the group.
A hosting of West Ham looks, on paper anyway, like a tougher test than Everton last weekend - and perhaps Manchester United, who City beat with ease - but it is worth highlighting that Pep's side perform at their best AGAINST the best teams.
They have played all three of the other teams who finished last season in the top four - Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea all away from home - picking up seven points and keeping two clean sheets, while posting xG averages of 1.51 xGF and 0.79 xGA per game.
If we extend the sample to games against teams who finished in the top eight last season, their record reads W4, D1, L1, with their xG averages at an eye-watering 2.36 xGF and 0.77 xGA per game.
When we consider their xG process in their other six games this season against 'the rest' (2.09 xGF, 0.64 xGA per game), it becomes even more evident that City bring their best when playing better teams.
West Ham are in the bracket below the title challengers (MCI, CHE, LIV) but are firmly in the conversation for a European finish once again.
Their performances up to their defeat to Wolves last weekend had been excellent, making it a huge surprise that they struggled so much in attack in that game, and if that issue continues here against the best defence in the league, then it could be a frustrating day for the visitors.
The Hammers are one of the league's better sides and that should bring the best out of their hosts, who are expected to win comfortably, making MANCHESTER CITY WIN AND UNDER 3.5 GOALS the selection.
It was a winner for us last weekend, and I see this game following the same pattern of a low-scoring, efficient City win.
Five of City's eight wins have seen this bet land this season, while it landed in 17 of their 27 wins last term.
Manchester City v West Ham best bets and score prediction
- 2pts Manchester City to win and Under 3.5 Goals at 13/10 (bet365, William Hill)
Score prediction: Manchester City 2-0 West Ham (Sky Bet odds: 6/1)
Odds correct at 1000 GMT (26/11/21)
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