Manchester City V Blackburn Rovers

Monday, 11^th January – 20:00 GMT (ESPN)

Manchester City

League Position: 5th

Recent Form: DLWWW

Roberto Mancini will have high hopes of extending his unbeaten reign as City manager when his Man City side host a poor travelling Blackburn Rovers at The City of Manchester Stadium in a game which will be shown live on ESPN. City, since Roberto Mancini took over from Mark Hughes as manager, have won back-to-games in the league, three if you include their 4-3 success over Sunderland when Hughes was at the helm, and were they to make it four from four then it would be their best run since the start of the campaign when they won their opening four fixtures before crashing at Old Trafford.

Mark Hughes’s downfall was a weak defence, one that was shipping plenty of goals while he was in charge. However, Mancini’s arrival has had an instant impact as City have yet to concede a single goal under his influence, keeping clean sheets against Stoke City, Wolves and Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup. Of course, their opponents weren’t the most glamorous of teams but going over 270 minutes without conceding will do wonders for City’s defence and their confidence levels. Were they to keep another, what would be their third clean sheet in three league games, would equal their streak of three set very early on in the season.

City are rapidly growing in confidence as their strikers are finding their footing up front whilst their defence is finally starting to look a lot more compact and tight. Punters everywhere have been saying that all City need to be a success this season is to tighten up at the back and they’ve shown huge signs of improvements in that area that would suggest that they are on the right track. However, it’s imperative that they keep this momentum up, both in terms of winning games and keeping clean sheets and they have a fabulous opportunity to do just that when a Blackburn side that have managed just 7 away goals all season come to town.

City, of whom have lost just two games all season, are one of just two teams in the Premiership to still boast an unbeaten home record, with the other being leaders, Chelsea. They’ve only dropped points in three home fixtures this season, with Burnley, Fulham & Hull frustrating City at home this season, but they’ve now gone on a two match winning run at home and look a very solid bet for all three points in this Monday night clash. Plus, a punt on City winning to NIL could also be worthwhile.

Blackburn Rovers

League Position: 13th

Recent Form: DLLDD 

Blackburn should have been a tired outfit heading up to Eastlands but that’s now not the case after their Carling Cup semi-final clash with Aston Villa was called off due to heavy snow. The players will be fresher for that postponement, but it could also be a deflated camp as Rovers were fired up for their first leg clash and will now have to start their preparations all over again but after this potentially moral crushing game with an inform Man City.

Blackburn are like many relegation threatened teams this season in that their home form is probably what will keep them up this season as their form on the road is poor. Out of a possible 30 points, Rovers have managed to pick up just five points on the road; losing seven out of ten. Their only away victory came at Bolton, a side in an ever worse predicament than theirs, so that victory, despite it boosting their mediocre points tally, does little to enhance their credentials ahead of this tough away fixture. 

Sam Allardyce was clearly motivated for the Carling Cup clash and claimed that it was going to be one of the biggest games in his managerial career, as well as the clubs. However, with that match being postponed and the fixture having to be rearranged, Sam will have one eye on the fitness levels of the players and were Rovers to get off to a bad start then he may well just throw in the towel as Blackburn have yet to overhaul an away deficit this season, and don’t look likely of recording their first at Man City. 

A point would be a great result for Blackburn but we don’t even see them standing much of a chance of getting that due to their dire away form this season. To earn a point, Blackburn would need to, realistically, hold Man City to a 0-0 score line as we can’t see Rovers scoring. They’ve managed just seven away goals all season, failing to score in half of their away outings, and against a City defence that hasn’t conceded a single goal in their last three games in all competitions, what chance do they have? Not much, according to us.

Also, we cannot disregard the fact that Blackburn are on a eight match run without a win in the league, whilst their early exit in the FA Cup will only have hindered their confidence, especially as it was an away defeat, one of many this season.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Manchester City W: 1 Blackburn Rovers W: 4 Draws: 5

• Man City have won just one of the last 10 meetings with Blackburn Rovers

• These two teams have met seven times in Manchester, with the home side managing just the one win. That did, however, come in last seasons contest, with City winning 3-1.

• Blackburn haven’t failed to score at Eastlands in their previous three visits, and have actually only failed to score once in seven away meetings with Man City.

• The previous three encounters on Man City soil have all finished with three or more goals, with four goals occurring in the previous two meetings.

Match Verdict: Manchester City to WIN – 1.45 Expekt.com

This really should be a formality, but we’ve learnt nothing ever is in football, especially with the Premiership. Nevertheless, a City win is expected here in a contest which they should dominate from start to finish. City have been immensely strong at home for the early part of this season and throughout the course of last season, whereas Rovers have been a very poor away outfit thus far and have managed to avoid defeat just three times in ten away outings. A seven match run without a win, both home and away, will mean that morale won’t be too high, whereas City have won three on the spin and look good to make it four on the trot at Blackburn’s expense.

Match Odds:

Manchester City – 1.45 Expekt.com

Draw – 4.50 Boylesports

Blackburn Rovers – 8.50 SkyBet

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Man City/Man City (HT/FT betting) – 2.10 PaddyPower