Manchester City vs Tottenham betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
Tom Carnduff (@TomCarnduff) has enjoyed winners at 5/1 and at 13/8 in his last two Cheat Sheet columns. Manchester City are involved again this week, coming up against Tottenham.
Football betting tips: Premier League
1pt e.w. Destiny Udogie to score first at 66/1 (Sky Bet 1/3 1-99)
Back our suggested BuildABet @ 10/1
Destiny Udogie 1+ total shots
Yves Bissouma 3+ tackles
Giovani Lo Celso 3+ tackles
For all Manchester City's dominance in England's top-flight, Tottenham have been a problematic opponent for Pep Guardiola.
Five of the last seven league meetings between the two have ended in a Spurs victory, although an injury-decimated squad will need no less than an outstanding performance if they are to continue the trend.
Tottenham are just brilliant to watch as a neutral, thanks to a commitment to their attacking style of football which simply does not waver. Even with two red cards against Chelsea, they stuck with a defensive line so high it was on the platform waiting for the overground at White Hart Lane.
There's no value in the outright market here though. The goals markets are also expecting another Tottenham back line consisting of four full-backs with over 3.5 odds-on, which is best left alone. City after all are often content to control things.
It's Destiny?
Instead, watching Tottenham's game against Aston Villa put a couple of potential goalscorers on my radar.
At a best price of 66/1, I'm willing to have an each-way play on DESTINY UDOGIE TO SCORE FIRST.
Villa are a strong side of course, but City are on another level, so we have to exercise some caution when using one game to try and predict an outcome in the other.
However, we do know that Tottenham will stick to their style of play, and they will look to exploit City's own high defensive line when counter-attacking opportunities arise.
Udogie was encouraged to drive forward where possible on Sunday and not only that, he was connecting with through balls at the edge of the box that we'd usually expect to see from wingers or strikers.
Given that they have Kyle Walker on that side, and that we know City are happier pushing the full-back further forward down their right, that potentially opens up chances for Udogie to attack.
Spurs' left-back is no stranger to scoring either, with five for Udinese in the 21/22 Serie A season and then another three in the campaign that followed.
The visitors won't shy away from getting forward in this game - Udogie could be the one to capitalise.
If backing such a big price on a goal isn't your thing, UDOGIE 1+ TOTAL SHOTS is a nice starting point for a Super Sunday multiple.
Tottenham the tough tacklers
It's hardly surprising to see some of Tottenham's defensive numbers when we consider their approach under Ange Postecoglou.
They top the charts for average tackles per game (20.2), while their PPDA (passes per defensive action) figure is the lowest in the league too. The simplest way to explain that metric is that the lower the number, the more aggressive a team is out of possession.
YVES BISSOUMA returns for this game - much needed after Rodrigo Bentancur joined the lengthy absentee list - and taking the midfielder to have 3+ TACKLES provides appeal.
Nine of his 11 Premier League appearances this season have delivered at least three tackles. The two games that fell short were against relegation candidates Luton and Sheffield United.
Lining up alongside him in the defensive midfield area will likely be GIOVANI LO CELSO, and he is also worth taking for 3+ TACKLES.
He posted four tackles and three fouls across 86 minutes in the same role last time out, and a solid performance, coupled with those availability issues, should see him deployed in a similar manner at the Etihad.
To bump the value up further, DEJAN KULUSEVSKI to have 2+ TACKLES is an intriguing addition.
Traditionally a winger, with his focus on cutting inside rather than relying on pure pace, he was shifted centrally in that loss to Villa and will likely continue there on Sunday.
His three tackles last time out was the sixth time this season where he's posted more than one in this metric. It's interesting that the away draw with Arsenal is among those games.
Count the corners
Tottenham are such outsiders in the outright market that it's had a huge knock-on effect elsewhere.
You can get odds-against prices on TOTTENHAM 4+ CORNERS, and that's worth adding as a value play.
We're continuing to back Spurs' attacking approach and, if it becomes a high scorer, it gives this selection further hope of landing.
Team news
Kevin De Bruyne remains out for City, with Guardiola also unable to call upon midfielders Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic.
Tottenham remain without a number of first team players for the trip to the Etihad.
James Maddison, Ivan Perisic, Richarlison, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon and Micky van de Ven are all out through injury. Cristian Romero serves the final match of his suspension.
Bentancur joins those above on the sideline as he was injured in the first-half of the loss to Villa - likely to miss a few months rather than weeks.
Postecoglou has also stated that Pape Matar Sarr will be absent, meaning Lo Celso is likely to stay in a deeper role.
Predicted line-ups
Manchester City XI: Ederson; Ake, Dias, Walker; Rodri, Akanji; Doku, Silva, Alvarez, Foden; Haaland.
Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Royal, Davies, Udogie; Bissouma, Lo Celso; Johnson, Kulusevski, Gil; Son.
Odds correct at 1350 GMT (01/12/23)
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