As the Premier League season enters it’s final stages, Man City welcome an in-form Aston Villa side to the Etihad in what promises to be a huge game. Villa are flying with five straight wins and with just one point separating the two teams in the race for Champions League qualification, there’s plenty at stake in this game.
We’re expecting an open, attacking affair with chances at both ends which suits our tip being Omar Marmoush to have 1+ shot on target and Ollie Watkins to have 1+ shot at 1.90.
Is Marmoush Filling Haaland’s boots?
Omar Marmoush has been a standout performer since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt in January. The forward has hit the ground running in the Premier League, scoring six goals in just 11 appearances, including three in his last five games. He’s averaged 1.5 shots on target per match and has registered at least one shot on target in each of his last five outings.
With Erling Haaland set to be out for a few more weeks, Marmoush is expected to keep his starting spot, having been involved from the first whistle in his last six matches. More recently averaging 4.2 shots per game across his last five appearances. With these stats, a shot on target looks highly likely once again.
Watkins to prove a point?
Ollie Watkins remains a consistent threat for Aston Villa and a key part of their attacking setup. He’s averaging 2.4 shots per game this season and has already scored 15 league goals.
Watkins has managed at least one shot in 26 of his last 33 appearances which is a 79% rate. In games he’s started, he has only failed to register a shot in four of those this season. After being benched in both legs of Villa’s Champions League quarter-final against PSG, Watkins will want to remind Unai Emery of his importance to the side. In a must-win game away at Man City, this provides the perfect time to make that statement.
One thing to watch out for: if Marcus Rashford starts over Watkins in this match, it’s worth swapping him into the bet slip. Doing so bumps the odds up to 2.00, offering even better value. Wait for the confirmed lineups before placing this bet.
Given both teams attacking quality and the high stakes of this game, we expect a fast-paced game with plenty of chances. That should create more opportunities for both Marmoush and Watkins to get their shots away.
