So, Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie continue to be among the best online soccer betting sites. Now, we dive back into the EPL Thursday Picks. Betting sites served profitably during the World Cup and now we transition to England again. At VegasBetting, Bovada represents one of our anchors for this match. This article reveals our bets for Manchester City and Chelsea.
The World Cup has been over for a few weeks now. Manchester City tries to right the ship while Chelsea tries to climb up the standings.. Argentina is ranked third in the FIFA World Rankings, while France is fourth. It is time for the EPL Thursday picks before a small break. Chelsea lost three straight before the holidays but has rebounded with a win and a draw. Manchester City is 3-1-1 in their past five matches.
The problem with Manchester City lies in who they are chasing. Arsenal tops the English Premier League Table, a full eight points clear of Pep Guardiola’s squad. That gap created some tense scenes with half a season still to go. Manchester City knows it needs to keep winning. Draws and especially losses will not do even with so much time remaining in the season.
So, Chelsea figures to be dangerous at home in this primetime matchup (in London anyway). Can Manchester City get win number 12, or will Chelsea shock the pundits and snare win number eight? No matter what happens, these two teams often bring out the best in each other. The chess match between Guardiola and Graham Potter figures to be interesting.
Next, EPL Thursday picks inquire one last time in this Festive Fixture. Who wins between Manchester City and Chelsea on Thursday?
Manchester City was not happy after their draw against Everton. Yielding a late goal left a sour taste and has become somewhat of an annoying pattern. Even against Leeds, the Cityzens lamented about another goal that deprived Manchester City of a clean sheet. Chances go up for both sides, but it seems Manchester City relaxes a little too much for the coaching staff’s liking.
EPL Thursday picks inquired about a clean sheet for Manchester City. However, the likelihood of that remains pretty low. The last shutout came way back on October 29th against Leicester City. Honestly, that was only four matches ago. However, with some players banged up, the coaching staff understands it may take two or more goals to come out with three points in this fixture.
How does Manchester City play the opening moments of this match? This is not a match to sit back and counter. The club needs to right the wrongs from last week, where a few misses snowballed into that 1-1 draw. Kyle Walker and John Stones enjoyed solid games but were a bit unlucky. If this duo keeps getting chances, they will provide the scoring depth needed to try and catch Arsenal in the standings.
Again, the outright win is what Manchester City seeks in the EPL Thursday Picks. Watch this match on Thursday, January 5th, via Peacock or Sky Sports at 3:00 pm ET (streamed). The game starts at night (just after 8:00) in London. The rationale is Manchester City is a lopsided favorite on the moneyline. However, the spread is dangled along with the over in a way that carries some value but plenty of risks.
EPL Thursday Picks long for Chelsea on Thursday. Can they regain the form from previous seasons? It has been a struggle for the coaching staff the past few seasons. Frank Lampard held few answers, and Thomas Tuchel fared a little better. So far, Potter has not potted the wins necessary to get Chelsea anywhere close to the top four on the table. They possess a game in hand but are ten points back of fourth-place Manchester United. Ouch!
Then, the Enzo Fernandez deal fell through. If Chelsea has endured bad enough luck, this news makes things worse. This squad lacks offensive punch. A total of 20 goals in 16 matches will not get the job done. Their offense needs to be more dynamic. Can they gain enough possession or counter against Manchester City as currently constructed? That looks to be quite a daunting task.
Even with Christian Pulisic and Raheem Stirling, those two strikers alone are far from enough. Manchester City can key in on those two and make others beat them. The only question is, does Manchester City beat themselves? Now, that is possible, given the past couple of matches. If Chelsea shows any weakness, they will be stored on the pitch.
For the EPL Thursday picks, a value bet of a few dollars could be hedged on Chelsea winning in regulation time at home. If there is one time to pull off a shocker, this may be it.
How about a few props before we bid adieu? So, Bovada online sportsbook gives us the following. Again, the anytime goal props are always a source of excitement.
How about Erling Harland potting two or more goals at +275? The premier striker for Manchester City has surpassed the 20-goal mark already and is on his way to a record season. For Chelsea, a coin flip between Sterling and Pulisic is interesting. Sterling has shown better form and, at +400, is worth a look.
Here are more Vegas betting site bonuses to take advantage of for the soccer weekend as La Liga opens on Friday.
Summary
Chris Wassel AA, AAS CURRENTLY Sports Writer and Journalist RESIDES IN Rahway, NJ EDUCATION Union County College, Montclair State University EXPERTISE Business, Writing, Sports, Food, Grilling, Olympics, Injuries, Politics, and more Summary Member of FSWA, FSGA, and a variety of Sports Betting Groups. Works on injuries for a variety of sites. Edits articles from NASCAR to football and beyond. Occasionally runs sites like mynhltraderumor.com and Full Press Hockey/Bets. Does a podcast for Full Press Hockey and a few other sports too. Experience Chris Wassel has 20+ years of sports journalistic experience in various disciplines. His ability to play sports is well documented. Most people in the business just write. However, Chris will race cars and even a super Moto bike from time to time. There is that fitness and hiking/cycling aspect too. Chris has climbed mountains from Mount Washington to Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California. For those that do not know. Chris also dabbles in food eating contests and challenges. Having a unique background with friends including Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has the ability to eat a whole 16-pound turkey or a 32 inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, Chris does focus on things like fitness, fishing, and sports. One would be surprised that Chris runs, hikes, and rock climbs. There are even those occasional mini-triathlons. One truly can pack a lot in a small package. Chris can lift things over his body weight with ease. Also, if there is a NASCAR rain prop, Chris can tell you if there will be a Monday race. Throughout his career, Chris has worked at a wide range of places from Amazon to USA Today to a variety of rumors and fantasy sports sites. Finally, Chris has been nominated for quite a few awards from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association for Hockey Writer Of The Year. Also, there have been a number of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings that Chris sports in his house. Education Chris received an Associates from Union Country College for business and accounting. Chris did sports journalism work at Montclair State University covering the hockey, baseball, and football teams. Quote from Chris Wassel "Shut up and play.”
Education
1999 Graduate of Union County College
1993 Graduate of Rahway High School
Professional Achievements
Media credentialed member of the New Jersey Devils since 2010
Covered several NHL Drafts including the one day event in Newark in 2013
Been on countless podcasts, TV shows, and more including Sportsnet and even NHL Network