They were dancing on the streets of Liverpool on Saturday evening after Manchester City slipped up at Stamford Bridge although the bookmakers don’t feel as though this was too negative for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Despite the Premier League champions dropping a point behind Liverpool after sixteen games played, bet365 offer 4/11 that the Citizens retain their title come the end of the season, with goal difference potentially a factor and they are eight goals better off right now.

Nevertheless, this Saturday lunchtime clash against Everton is more of a banana skin than the match odds suggest and we’re surprised that City are trading as short as 1/6 for a victory at the best soccer betting sites. Perhaps some of the bookies are scared of the potential multiple payouts that include the champions.

Look Past an Outright City Win

Coral have chalked up 2/9 for anyone who wants to back the home side as a single , although it’s often worth looking for ways to back Manchester City at bigger odds by considering whether they might win to nil or even lead at half-time.

There is also the Asian Handicap where you can get a selection like City -1.5 goals at 3/5 with bet365 and that would mean you need Guardiola’s team to win the game by two clear goals, something they have managed to do in seven of their eight encounters.

However, we clearly need to take the opposition into account and Everton have aspirations of being a top six team this season, with Marco Silva’s side acquitting themselves pretty well against the other leading lights of the Premier League this term.

This included a fine performance in the Merseyside derby where the Blues looked the more likely team to win before a freak goal from Divock Origi saw the Toffees suffer in the harshest way possible.

Draw Looks Like Value

They would have been good value for the draw away to the other title pretenders and BetVictor have 13/2 that this clash ends all square which would bring plenty of delight to Liverpool fans ahead of Sunday’s crunch match against Manchester United.

Ladbrokes offer 14/1 about Everton winning the game and they did create the better chances at Arsenal before losing 2-0, while they were a match for Manchester United at Old Trafford and might have got something if the referee hadn’t given the Red Devils an unjust penalty.

Silva will trust his defence to stand strong in the opening exchanges against a team potentially missing David Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, with Yerry Mina an absolute colossus at the back and partnering Michael Keane for what could be a terrific combination for seasons to come.

Concern Over Everton Frontmen

Much depends on the way that Andre Gomes and Idrissa Gueye are able to disrupt the play and there’s a slight concern about whether the Everton frontmen will be able to hold the ball up in the high press and conjure many chances against a team who tend to go for the jugular early.

That said, five of Manchester City’s eight home wins this season have seen both teams scoring and that includes lesser lights such as Huddersfield, Southampton and Newcastle United.

While Everton would clearly prefer a goalless draw, the concession of a goal would leave the visitors little option but to pour forward in search of an equaliser and that could lead to an open match.

We’re plumping for a 3-1 scoreline in favour of Manchester City which would replicate recent victories over Manchester United and Bournemouth who fit into a similar sort of bracket.