Huddersfield Town's troubles look set to get worse on Sunday as the managerless bottom side face a goal-crazy Manchester City.
Recommended bets
1pt Gabriel Jesus to score & City win at 23/20
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Huddersfield v Man City (1330 GMT Sky Sports Premier League)
Things go from bad to worse for Huddersfield as they face their first game without manager David Wagner against Pep Guardiola's flying Premier League champions.
You get the feeling City will be relentless in their pursuit of Liverpool from here on in - that win at the Etihad spurring them on to a goal-laden couple of cup games before cruising past ten-man Wolves.
While there's usually a 'new manager bounce' these circumstances are a bit different given Wagner effectively walked away and even Sam Allardyce said the Terriers were beyond saving this season.
City being 1/7 to win tells it's own story so it's hard work in this one trying to find anything anywhere near a suitable bet - yes, it could be a hiding for the hosts, but Chelsea in the first game of the season are the only team to really put the terriers to the sword at home as yet.
City could certainly do that, but with Huddersfield's player surely playing for pride they'll most likely offer an energetic, scrappy opposition that will at least slow down and frustrate the visitors if ultimately losing out.
Betting guide
Prediction: Huddersfield 0-3 Man City (Sky Bet odds: 5/1)
This may even be a conservative estimate based purely on Huddersfield putting everything into the game, but an early goal for the visitors and it could easily get out of hand in a hurry.
Best bet: Gabriel Jesus to score & City win at 23/20
Seven goals in three games, even against lowly opposition has surely given Jesus the chance to start a game like this, as he did against Wolves, with Sergio Aguero coming back from a short absence. You can toy with the even money on Jesus just to score anytime but given the one-sided nature of the fixture this makes sense to add in. Even if Jesus starts on the bench, there's a fair chance he comes on in in his current form he'll likely net again.
Stats: Leroy Sane to outscore opposition at 21/10
He's 6/5 to score anytime but with Huddersfield being goal shy to say the least why not push the boat out on this one and if you're looking for something just a bit bigger this may just be the one. Sane is dangerous and his pace and trickery down either side will cause Huddersfield problems all day.
RequestABet: City win, under 3.5 goals, 40+ booking points, 9+ Man City corners, Sane to score
Huddersfield v Man City Opta stats
- Huddersfield haven’t won a home league game against Man City since April 1988 (1-0), drawing two and losing two since.
- Man City have conceded just nine goals in their last 13 league matches against Huddersfield, and never more than once in a match. In that run City managed to score more than that in one single game against the Terriers, winning 10-1 at Maine Road in November 1987.
- Huddersfield are on the longest current winless run in the Premier League, failing to win their last nine games in the competition (D1 L8).
- Huddersfield have only scored more than once in one of their last 32 Premier League games (2-0 vs Wolves in November), failing to score on 17 occasions in that run.
- Man City haven’t lost any of their last 23 Premier League games against sides starting the day bottom of the table (W18 D5), since a 1-2 loss at West Brom in December 2008. They’ve kept a clean sheet in their last 10 such games, winning the last six by an aggregate score of 21-0.
- Huddersfield caretaker manager Mark Hudson played nine Premier League games (seven for Crystal Palace in 2004-05, two for Cardiff in 2013-14) – his record in those was no wins, one draw and eight defeats – the same record Huddersfield have had in their last nine Premier League games.
- Manchester City have scored 19 goals in their last three games in all competitions – one more than Huddersfield have managed in their last 36 matches in all competitions (18).
- Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has scored six goals in his last three appearances against Huddersfield in all competitions, including a hat-trick in the reverse fixture.
- Among managers to have taken charge of at least 50 Premier League games, departing Huddersfield manager David Wagner has the second worst win percentage (18.3%), ahead only of Iain Dowie (16.9%).
- Man City striker Sergio Aguero has been involved in 23 goals in his last 13 Premier League games against teams starting the day in the relegation zone (20 goals, 3 assists), and has scored in each of his last six appearances against sides starting the day bottom.