Manchester City’s Boxing Day defeat at Sunderland saw them fall seven points behind the Premier League leaders and they face no easy task at Carrow Road on Saturday.
The champions 1-0 reversal at the Stadium of Light came just days after Roberto Mancini saw his team struggle to beat bottom of the table Reading in front of their own fans, thanks to a late Gareth Barry winner, and there is no doubt City are way below their best at present.
Manchester United’s 4-3 triumph at Old Trafford over Newcastle, while the Citizens were losing in the north-east, has put daylight between themselves and the rest at the summit and I’m not sure City will be their nearest challengers come May.
Mancini’s team have won just three of their last nine matches in all competitions and each of those successes, over Newcastle, Wigan and Reading, have been versus sides currently languishing in the bottom six of the Premier League.
It might prove that in-form Chelsea give the Red Devils most to think about in the title chase and City will be hard pressed to regain the winning thread against a Norwich team that have been terrific on home soil this term.
Prior to a 1-0 reversal against Rafa Benitez’s new side last time out, Juan Mata’s goal proving the difference, the Canaries had won each of their previous five matches in front of their own fans and overall it is 17 points from just nine games in East Anglia this term.
Having already beaten the current table toppers and Arsenal, both by a 1-0 score line, Chris Houghton and his players should have nothing to fear from the visit of the champions and there could hardly be a better time to be facing Manchester City.
At just 1.60 to grab all three points, I have to be taking on an away team who have won just twice in their previous seven matches on the road.
The likelihood is that City will prevail but the odds are shorter than their true chance indicates and I’m happy to lay them.
3pts Lay Man City (vs. Norwich) @ 1.60 (Betfair)