Man City vs Sunderland Prediction

🔊 Will Pep Guardiola's team once again test the nerves of their fans? In the 15th round of the Premier League, they face Sunderland, who continue to surprise by holding 6th place in the standings. However, bookmakers have little faith in the "Black Cats" pulling off a success at the Etihad. Manchester City are the biggest favorites of the round. Let's delve into whether the odds are justified, as this prediction aims to explore exactly that. Let's dive in!

Head-to-Head

📊 The last time these teams clashed was back in 2017, with Jordan Pickford guarding Sunderland's goal and David Silva captaining Man City. Given how much time has passed, delving into their head-to-head history for a bet on the upcoming match seems pointless.

Manchester City Team Overview

Ten goals conceded in their last four matches—this is the state of Manchester City's defense. They've managed to break their losing streak, but their defensive issues have only worsened. Last weekend, the Citizens narrowly edged out Leeds with a 3-2 victory. The game spiraled so out of control that Gianluigi Donnarumma had to feign an injury.

What's most intriguing is that Pep's side failed to learn their lesson. During their midweek trip to Fulham, they almost squandered a three-goal lead. It turned into a hockey-style shootout. Erling Haaland scored his 100th Premier League goal, reaching this milestone faster than anyone in history, while Phil Foden netted a brace for the second consecutive match. However, the team appears fatigued, and Gigi Donnarumma ranks among the Premier League's bottom three goalkeepers, saving only 58% of shots on target.

Sunderland Team Overview

Sunderland have stopped winning from week to week, but it's not fair to say they've lost momentum. Out of their last seven matches, they've only suffered one defeat, against Fulham (0-1), where they looked truly lackluster on the road. With 23 points from 13 rounds, the team has delivered the best start for a Premier League newcomer in the past 20 years!

The 'Black Cats' are proving they're ready to compete with the giants. In early November, they snatched points from Arsenal (2-2), ending their long clean-sheet streak, and a month later, they held their ground at Anfield. In fact, Regis Le Bris's side nearly clinched a victory when, in the closing stages, Liverpool pushed forward in numbers. Wilson Isidor broke through for a one-on-one with Alisson after a pass from Robin Rufs. Unfortunately, the forward missed his chance and has now gone five matches without scoring.

Latest news

Manchester City

🎙 Pep Guardiola, after the match against Fulham, was characteristically self-deprecating, addressing the journalists with: “So, did you enjoy it? How am I doing? I've lost my hair. This is the Premier League. In another league, you might keep everything under control. I have no answer.”

📝 According to DeadlineDayLive, Manchester City are leading the race for Marc Guehi. A bid of £35 million should be enough to sign the Crystal Palace defender in January.

❌ Manchester City's injury woes are hardly surprising. Mateo Kovacic and Rodri remain sidelined as usual.

Sunderland

🎙 Enzo Le Fée, one of Sunderland's key players, after the match against Liverpool: "When you play against strong teams, you can't just give 100%, you need to give 150%. I think everyone in the locker room understands that, and that's why we've achieved good results in away matches against top teams. We're ready to fight until the end. I believe we've created a family, and that's why we're earning points in the closing stages of matches."

⭐️ A significant moment occurred in the game against Liverpool – Sunderland's homegrown and most loyal player, Luke O'Nien, made his Premier League debut. Having played 313 matches for the club, he has journeyed with the Black Cats from League One to the pinnacle of English football.

❌ Sunderland's injury list includes two players. Aji Alese and Habib Diarra have been sidelined for an extended period.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by Andy Madley, who is not known for being a strict referee. This Premier League season, he averages just 3.2 yellow cards per game. However, the overall stats of the English referee are less concerning, as there's an intriguing trend to note. Manchester City players have managed to avoid yellow cards in only 1 of their last 10 matches. Therefore, we predict that the hosts will receive at least one yellow card.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

For Manchester City, every match seems to turn into a goal-scoring spectacle. In five consecutive rounds, their games have seen the total exceed 2.5 goals. As we've established, Sunderland can find the net against higher-caliber opponents, so they might contribute to the hosts' drive for a high-scoring encounter.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Manchester City lead the league in average corners earned at home (7.71). We have little doubt that this statistic will hold against Sunderland, who are likely to spend much of the match defending. The clear choice is the hosts' individual total over 5.5 corners. The "Cityzens" have surpassed this mark in 5 of their last 6 Premier League matches.

Guardiola's team isn't in top physical shape at the moment. With midfielders sidelined due to injuries, rotation options are limited in the center of the pitch. The Citizens are allowing too many chances near their goal, and Gianluigi Donnarumma hasn't been providing the necessary saves. Thus, the odds heavily favoring the hosts are somewhat surprising, especially considering City's upcoming trip to the Santiago Bernabéu, where Pep needs to rest his key players beforehand.

We anticipate that Manchester will ultimately secure the desired result, but with a narrow margin—2-1. Given that the Black Cats haven't suffered any heavy defeats this season, a promising bet seems to be on Sunderland to win with a +2.5 handicap.