City on a mission for unprecedented five PL titles in a row! Expect them to start with 3 solid points away at the Bridge!

Value Prediction by BetBettie: Manchester City to win and BTTS

The 2024/2025 Premier League season is off to a thrilling start, with Chelsea hosting Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in a high-stakes derby on Sunday. Chelsea, now boasting a massive 44-player first-team squad, faces a tough challenge with new manager Enzo Maresca at the helm. While Romelu Lukaku has returned, the standout player to watch for the Blues is Cole Palmer, fresh from an impressive EURO 2024. However, right-back Reece James is banned for the match, adding to Chelsea’s defensive concerns.

On the other side, Manchester City comes into this match with confidence after defeating Manchester United on penalties in the Community Shield. With Julian Alvarez moving to Atletico Madrid for €75 million, new signing Savinho is expected to make his debut and fill the gap. City is looking to start the season strong as they aim for an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title.

The Citizens ended last season in sensational form, winning their final nine league games and netting 33 goals in the process. Chelsea, however, has struggled in recent encounters with City, going winless in their last nine meetings and losing seven of them. With Maresca’s squad still trying to gel after a summer of significant changes, the Blues might face a tough start to the season.

BetBettie sees the best value prediction in backing Manchester City to win the match and both teams to score at odds of 2.90. Given that both teams have found the net in four of Chelsea’s last six league matches and considering the firepower City brings, a 3-1 victory for the visitors seems likely.

City has a strong track record on opening weekends, with Pep Guardiola winning seven of his eight Premier League openers. Chelsea’s defensive vulnerabilities, highlighted in preseason when they conceded four goals to Celtic, could be exposed by City’s lethal attack. Haalands goal-scoring prowess is expected to shine, and the reigning champions should pick up where they left off last season, continuing their dominance over the Blues.