English Premier
2011-10-01 - Blackburn Rovers vs Manchester City
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football : English Premier League
Saturday 1 October 2011 - Kickoff 3pm
Blackburn Rovers
Just when things could not get any stranger at Blackburn Rovers, even I am a little stunned with what I read- John Jenson has apparently been fired from his job as Assistant Manager at the club, which seems to suggest he is being blamed for a tough start to the new season. With an upcoming trip to India to play a friendly during the international break, it just seems to be that there is not a lot of good footballing decisions being made at Ewood Park.
Blackburn moved back into the relegation zone after results last weekend and sit in 18th place, while all the good feeling following their win over Arsenal was replaced with the negatives from a horrible performance at Newcastle. Rovers are 1-0-2 at Ewood Park this season, scoring 5 goals and conceding 6, although the majority of those scored came in the 4-3 win over Arsenal. Only 2 teams have conceded more goals than Blackburn this season, that is Bolton and Arsenal.
The team have won 3 of their last 4 games at Ewood Park, although 2 of those came in the Carling Cup against League One sides Sheffield Wednesday and Leyton Orient. They have won just 2 of their last 10 Premier League games at Ewood Park.
Ryan Nelson will be missing until after the international break next weekend, while Martin Olsson is suspended. Morten Gamst Pederson is winning his race for fitness, while David Dunn is still very much doubtful. David Goodwillie could also return to the squad.
Manchester City
The fact Manchester City played, and lost, a Champions League game has been forgotten amongst all the furore of Carlos Tevez effectively ending his own career at Eastlands by refusing to come onto the pitch as a 2nd half substitution. Edin Dzeko also showed his displeasure in being substitued by Roberto Mancini and there were a few cracks appearing in what has been an otherwise solid start to the new season.
Manchester City are 2nd in the Premier League due to an inferior goal difference compared with rivals United, but they will be pleased that they are once again on the same number of points thanks to a 2-0 win over Everton. City are 2-1-0 away from home this season, scoring 10 goals, but also conceding 5.
The Citizens had been unbeaten in 8 competitive games this season before losing to Bayern Munich on Tuesday. They have gone 4-1-1 in their last 6 away games in the Premier League stretching back to last season, and they have scored at least 2 goals in all 3 away games this season.
The only player missing for City this weekend will be, unsurprisingly, Carlos Tevez who was suspended without pay for 2 weeks yesterday. Mario Balotelli is available after being suspended in Europe, while Nigel de Jong and Kolo Toure made their returns in Munich. Owen Hargreaves is also available having been excluded from the Champions League squad.
Head to Head
Manchester City have won 5 of the last 6 games against Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League and they are unbeaten in 8 games since losing 1-0 in September 2007 at Ewood Park.
That was the last time they have not picked up maximum points from this ground, winning the last 3 games here without conceding a goal.
Blackburn have only scored 3 goals in the last 6 games against City.
Prediction
This is another game that looks a little tougher to predict due to extenuating circumstances, in this case how the Manchester City players are going to react to the Carlos Tevez situation that has engulfed the club in the last few days.
I did like the look of City winning this while clearing the Asian Handicap, but Blackburn are capable of scoring goals and it is possible they catch a City side not fully focused on things going on on the pitch.
Instead I will, once again, focus on the goalscorer market and will once again back Sergio Aguero, who came close to scoring last week and who has scored 3 goals in his last 2 away games in the Premier League.
You have to think he will be given the nod up front after Tevez was suspended and Edin Dzeko acted petulantly when coming off on Tuesday, and the diminutive Argentine is bound to get some chances against a Blackburn defence that has looked surprisingly open while conceding 6 goals in 2 games against Arsenal and Newcastle.
Aguero to score at anytime is just slightly lower priced than City on the handicap and you have to think he will be relied on a little more on Saturday with all the other happenings at Eastlands.
It is also possible that he will have taken over penalty duties from Tevez, the regular taker, and at odds against he has to be worth chancing considering he has 8 goals already in 6 League appearances.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Manchester City
