15th Aug 2011 | Football
Man City v Swansea City: First Goalscorer Tip
Mancini is likely to have his most acclaimed strikers on the bench, giving a rejuvenated forward a chance to shine.
The team news coming out of Manchester is that the Argentine superstars, Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero, are unlikely starters for City’s opener against the Premier League newcomers on Monday night. The bookmakers have taken little notice and flagged the pair up as the favourites in the first goalscorer market.
The true value lies with Edin Dzeko - an almost certain starter - and a best price 9/2 to open the scoring with Bet365. The Bosnian striker has certainly taken time to adapt to life in the English Premier League but there have been plenty of signs of him finding his feet during a productive pre-season. A goal against Man Utd at Wembley in the Community Shield was over-shadowed by the Reds’ comeback, but it followed hot on the heels of another Dzeko strike in the 3-0 win over Inter Milan in Dublin.
There is form for the 25-year-old taking time to settle before hitting the goal trail hard. His first season at Wolfsburg was also distinctly ordinary but look what followed. In 2008-09 he fired 36 goals in all competitions and then grabbed another 29 in the following campaign. That was the form that drew the attention of the City hierarchy and they have high hopes for him this time round.
With Aguero, Tevez and even Balotelli hogging the headlines, this is the perfect time for Dzeko to slip under the radar and make a big impact against Swansea.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 14:53 15th Aug, 2011 but subject to change
