This afternoon sees the traditional curtain raiser of the English footballing season, the Community Shield.
Wembley usually hosts a match between the league champion and the FA Cup winner, but Manchester City playing themselves would be an unlikely crowd puller. Instead Liverpool have been drafted in to provide some competition!
The two teams fought a titanic battle for the league title last season and are the favourites to do so again. Both teams have had preseasons interrupted by losing players to international claims, but it’s City who have had the more impressive early form.
It’s dangerous to read too much into preseason football, but it’s really all we have to go on at this point! Liverpool won last time out versus Lyon, but had struggled to register a win before that. While City were defeated on penalties by Wolves but had impressed before.
We’re going to side with the defending league champions today, expecting them to want to put down an early marker against their most likely challengers.
Kevin de Bruyne spent the majority of last season on the injury table, but has looked fresh and fit on his appearances so far. He will be determined to try and raise his game to the level of a couple of years ago when he was the best midfielder in the country. William Hill offers an enhanced 18/1 that he scores from outside the penalty area and we’ll be on that.
Recommendations: De Bruyne to score from outside the penalty area, 1 pt, at 18/1, William Hill
Please subscribe for notification of up-to-date tips and news, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
