With just two matches taking place in the Premier League on Tuesday, leaders Manchester City have the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the standings to four points when they welcome Leeds United to the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side are the form team in the division, as they have won six top-flight matches on the spin, and with title rivals Chelsea and Liverpool not in action until Thursday, they have an opportunity to lay down a marker.
Tuesday’s other fixture pits rock-bottom Norwich City against Aston Villa in a match that will see Canaries boss Dean Smith face his former club just five weeks after he was relieved of his duties at Villa Park.
Leaders to Win Entertaining Encounter
Man City have been in imperious form domestically, losing just once in the Premier League since the opening day of the season, and they should have no trouble seeing off a struggling Leeds side that have won just three of their 16 top-flight matches to date.
However, this may not be as straightforward as it first seems for City, as Leeds took four points off the reigning champions last season, following up a 1-1 draw at Elland Road with a 2-1 success at the Etihad back in April.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side have struggled to rediscover the flair that made them the neutrals’ favourite last term, but with four goals in their last two games, including two away at Chelsea on Saturday, the Yorkshire outfit may well be starting to click into gear.
Leeds should certainly cause a City defence that has kept just one clean sheet in six plenty of problems, but the hosts are still likely to have too much, with a home win and both teams to score available at 13/10.
Sterling to Maintain Return to Form
Raheem Sterling has struggled to hold down a regular place in City’s XI so far this season, but the England international has started and scored in each of their last two Premier League matches – including the winner against Wolves on Saturday.
That strike was also Sterling’s 100th goal in the Premier League and his confidence should be high heading into Tuesday’s clash with Leeds, especially as he did notch against the Whites last season.
Sterling is also likely to be on penalty duty on Tuesday and he looks a good option at 11/10 to score anytime – the only caveat being there are no guarantees he will start the match if Guardiola chooses to freshen up his lineup ahead of the busy festive period.
No Villa Revenge for Smith at Carrow Road
Dean Smith was relieved of his duties by Aston Villa on November 7, only to be named Norwich head coach the following week, and the 50-year-old will now see his Canaries side take on his former employers at Carrow Road on Tuesday.
Norwich will head into the match sitting bottom of the standings and without a win in four since triumphing in Smith’s first match at the helm against Southampton.
Villa have won three of their five matches since Smith’s departure, with their new boss Steven Gerrard having an immediate impact, with his only defeats at the helm coming in narrow fashion against title contenders City and Liverpool.
Gerrard certainly appears to have Villa moving in the right direction and given they won 5-1 on their last visit to Carrow Road in October 2019, they look good value at 5/4 to collect all three points at the expense of their former boss.
*All odds correct at time of writing.
