Chelsea vs. Man City Odds, Picks & Predictions: Premier League Bets for Aug. 18
Don't be surprised if you see a mugshot of Pep Guardiola when you look up the definition of dominance.
The Spaniard's Manchester City begin their quest to win an unprecedented five consecutive Premier League crowns when they travel to West London to play Chelsea on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET on NBC.
Guardiola's side has had its way with Chelsea, winning eight of the last ten matches without suffering a defeat.
New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, the fourth permanent gaffer since Todd Boehly's Clearlake Capital took control of the club in May 2022, faces a baptism by fire in his first Premier League match in charge.
Chelsea's ludicrous transfer strategy of more money than sense continued over the summer, recruiting 10 players for almost $200 million. Chelsea's squad would more closely resemble a 53-man NFL roster if it were permitted.
Man City are the Premier League odds favorites across our best sports betting sites entering Matchday 1, and our Chelsea vs. Man City odds, picks, and predictions focus on the outcome and most probable goal scorer.
Chelsea vs. Man City predictions for Sunday
Chelsea vs. Man City odds via our best soccer betting sites; soccer picks confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.
- Final score: Man City 1 - Chelsea 0 (+1000 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐
- Erling Haaland anytime goal scorer (+105 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Best bet: Man City & Under 3.5 goals (+210 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Chelsea vs. Man City score prediction
Man City 1 - Chelsea 0
Two of the four previous head-to-head encounters had an average of seven goals, one of which was in a recent friendly in the US that Man City won 4-2.
The other was an outrageous 4-4 draw in the Premier League last season. Despite those recent prolific goal-scoring outbursts, this fixture is usually low-scoring.
Eight of the last 10 matches between these adversaries and three of the previous four (excluding the recent meaningless friendly) had two or fewer goals. Plus, Sunday marks the season's opening match for both teams, so I expect defensive organization and mistake mitigation to be priorities No. 1 and 2.
The +1000 odds at FanDuel will yield a $100 profit if City wins 1-0.
Odds: +1000 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 9.09%
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Chelsea vs. Man City anytime goal scorer prediction
Erling Haaland, Man City
There's not much to go on regarding a player's form entering the season's opening weekend. Meaningless friendlies are about as useful as decaffeinated coffee for someone in need of stimulus.
Relying on Erling Haaland, however, is always a sound strategy. The Norwegian monster scores as effortlessly as sipping from a cup of decaf, and he won the Golden Boot in his first two Premier League seasons, scoring 36 and 27, respectively.
And there's more good news if you're a believer in preseason form, as Haaland bagged a hat trick against Chelsea two weeks ago.
bet365 and DraftKings offer the best price for this market and are the only two of our best sports betting apps that offer plus-money odds. You'll earn a $10.50 profit on a $10 wager if Haaland opens the season with a goal.
Odds: +105 via bet365 | Implied probability: 48.78%
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Chelsea vs. Man City best bet
Man City & Under 3.5 goals
Maresca's Premier League adaptation isn't made any easier by Chelsea's chop-and-change transfer strategy. The new Chelsea bench boss hasn't had enough time to iron out more kinks than a suit jacket stuffed, left, and forgotten in a suitcase for months.
Making matters more complicated, Maresca's first match in charge is against arguably the world's best club team.
City won't have Rodri at their disposal after the Spaniard injured his hamstring in the Euro 2024 Final against England. Jack Grealish is also out after suffering a hamstring injury in last week's Community Shield victory over Man United.
While both absences are significant, Man City have more depth than a Shakespearian drama. The +210 odds will pay a profit of $21 if the bet hits.
Odds: +210 via BetMGM | Implied probability: 32.26%
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Chelsea vs. Man City odds
Odds via DraftKings as of Saturday at 10 a.m. ET.
| Teams | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | +295 | +0.5 (-110) | Over 3.5 (+130) |
| Man City | -115 | -0.5 (-125) | Under 3.5 (-165) |
| Tie | +290 |
Chelsea vs. Man City game info
- Date: Sunday, Aug. 18
- Time: 11: 30 a.m. ET
- TV: NBC, Fubo TV
- Location: Stamford Bridge (London)
- Weather: 72 Farenheit, showers, 9 mph winds
- Favorite: Man City (-115 via DraftKings)
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