Mark your card for Tuesday's Premier League games with George Pitts providing a best bet and score prediction for each clash.
Recommended bets
1pt Palace to score 2+ goals v Bournemouth at 11/10
0.5pt Time of Man City's first goal - 0-10 minutes at 21/5
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
Burnley v Manchester City
It feels like Manchester City are going into this game on the back of a defeat. That draw at Newcastle was a cruel blow to their title hopes, but it might give them a much-needed kick up the rear.
The gap between them and Liverpool has now increased to 11 points and Pep Guardiola has refused to give up, but he must, in private, be thinking that it's all about the Champions League now.
Following their final group game next week, though, the European games take a break until mid-February and it gives the Citizens a chance to really go for it in the league.
After their loss at Newcastle last season, they went on a 14-game winning run and they need the same sort of points haul now to make ground on the Klopp's men, who rarely drop points.
Guardiola, who seemed prickly in Monday's press conference, will be looking for a reaction in the short trip to Turf Moor and he should get it. Because they are always so well fancied, it can be hard to find value but a good option to go for is the old trusty market backing time of their first goal.
They often found the back of the net early on last season to quickly assert their dominance in games and, although they have done it less so this term, the feeling is they will come out of the blocks here. That being said, they have scored 12 goals in the opening half hour this season and three in the opening 10 minutes - a joint-league high.
They usually react well to dropping points and, although Sean Dyche's side will make it a tough 90 minutes, the price at just over 4/1 for them to score in the opening 10 minutes and set the tone is worth a small play.
Prediction: Burnley 1-2 Man City (Sky Bet odds: 17/2)
Best bet: Time of Man City's first goal - 0-10 minutes at 21/5
Key stats
- Burnley have won their last three Premier League home games played on Tuesday, all by a 1-0 scoreline in January, April and December 2017.
- Manchester City have won 18 of their last 19 evening kick-offs in the Premier League (7pm or later), with the exception being a 1-2 loss at Newcastle in January.
- Burnley have won three of their five Premier League home games against reigning champions (60%) – only Manchester United (64%) have won a higher ratio of such games in the competition. However, the Clarets have lost their last two.
- Manchester City are winless in their last two Premier League away games (1-3 vs Liverpool and 2-2 vs Newcastle). Only once under Pep Guardiola have they gone three without a win on the road (February 2018), with the third game in this run coming at Burnley and including a loss at Liverpool.
- Man City have conceded at least two goals in their last two away league games – they’ve not conceded 2+ goals in three consecutive away games since a run of four in April 2011.
- Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in more Premier League goals than any other Manchester City player this season (13 – 4 goals, 9 assists). The Belgian is looking to score in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since October 2015.
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Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth
Not many teams go to Burnley and come away with three points, so Palace did incredibly well to do so and end a five-game winless run in the process.
Their Selhurst Park form was a problem last year and they have improved slightly even with some tough fixtures, but it could be better and they should be confident of getting something from the far too inconsistent Bournemouth on Tuesday.
The well-drilled Eagles can build on their recent win, but they may need a couple of goals and the 11/10 on them to score two or more is worth taking.
Goals have been an issue so far but both Wilfried Zaha and Jeffrey Schlupp scored at Turf Moor to share the responsibility that weighs heavily on Jordan Ayew's shoulders. Funny that Zaha has now netted in back-to-back games as January nears...
Whether he is playing for a move or not, that can only benefit Palace and a handful of injuries means the Cherries squad are not quite operating at full strength.
Eddie Howe's side have won just one of their last nine in all competitions and you would not argue against that run extending to 10 here with Palace so far enjoying the 19/20 campaign.
Prediction: Palace 2-1 Bournemouth (Sky Bet odds: 8/1)
Best bet: Palace to score 2+ goals at 11/10
Key stats
- Having lost their first Premier League home game against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last three against them at Selhurst Park (W1 D2), winning this exact fixture 5-3 last season.
- Bournemouth are looking to avoid back-to-back league defeats against Crystal Palace for the first time since a run of three between April 1975-April 1988.
- Both teams have scored in all four Premier League meetings between Crystal Palace and Bournemouth at Selhurst Park, with 17 goals being netted in total in these games (4.3 per game).
- Crystal Palace have won just one of their last nine evening kick-offs (7pm or later) in the Premier League (D2 L6), winning 2-0 at Wolves in January.
- Bournemouth have lost their last five Premier League games in London, conceding 19 goals in the process. The Cherries had lost just one of their previous six in the capital prior to this run (W3 D2).
- Bournemouth have won 44% of their Premier League games played on Tuesday (W4 D2 L3) – only on Fridays (100% - 2/2) do they have a better win rate on a specific day of the week in the competition.
- Crystal Palace have lost each of their last three Premier League home games, last losing more consecutively at Selhurst Park in February 2017 (5). Manager Roy Hodgson has never lost four in a row at home with a single club in the competition, however.
- Bournemouth have lost their last three Premier League games, last losing four in a row just over a year ago to the day (1st December 2018).
- Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha has scored in back-to-back Premier League games, after a run of 13 without a goal in the competition. He last scored in three league games in a row back in February.
- Five of Harry Wilson’s six Premier League goals this season have been scored away from home. Indeed, the Welshman has netted 56% (five out of nine) of Bournemouth’s nine away league goals this term.
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Crystal Palace & Man City both to win and BTTS in each game - available here at 12/1 exclusively for Sporting Life readers
Odds correct as of 1200 GMT on 02/12/19
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