City set to extend their winning run

CARRYOVER SOCCER 10 POOL TOMORROW

Manchester City’s winning run now sits at 21 successive matches with no signs of abating.

It has been a relentless run that has left even manager Pep Guardiola “surprised and impressed” and they can extend it at home against Manchester United on Sunday. Victory in the derby would put City 17 points ahead at the summit and virtually uncatchable as the English Premier League enters the business end of the season.

Guardiola’s secret has been regular rotation of the squad in a season with little time for preparation or recuperation. City are also still in contention for three cup titles and Champions League is a top priority.

To illustrate the enormity of their winning run, it is important to mention most of it was achieved without talisman Kevin De Bruyne, who only recently returned from long-term injury.

Should City win on Sunday it will turn the focus sharply onto the race for places in next season’s Champions League.

It is developing into a hotly contested fight with Leicester City and West Ham matching Chelsea and Liverpool and the likes of Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham not out of it yet, but needing to finish strongly.

Arsenal should win at Burnley in the opening match of the weekend programme tomorrow and Leicester must do the same at Brighton later in the day to keep up their hopes. They have dropped points at unexpected stages it might happen again tomorrow.

The Arsenal match kicks off tomorrow’s headline TAB Soccer 10 pool, which starts with a R200,000 addin and should total over R2.5 million.

On Sunday Liverpool and Spurs are hot favourites to win, but Monday night’s double header is more complex. Chelsea host an improving but boringly defensive Everton and West Ham take on the mercurial Leeds.