Luton vs Man City Bet Builder Tips: 10/3 shot has legs

Luton Town vs Manchester City; Sunday, Dec 10th, 14.00.

City are having a blip. And then some. By their habitual standards, positively seismic in scale.

Luton are on the up, certainly in terms of committed and passionate performances, and will feel this is a good time to be facing the champions. I'm putting up a 10/3 bet building #PickYourPunt, for what's sure to be a fascinating and dramatic afternoon. Can City stop the rot - or is more discomfort lurking around the corner?

Town are finding their Premier League feet. A couple of wins. Terrific effort in defeat against Arsenal in the week, losing out in a seven-goal thriller. That followed on from a draw with Liverpool, a narrow reverse at Old Trafford, in and amongst a home success against Crystal Palace.

City have 3 recent PL high-profile draws to their name, plus that setback at Aston Villa in midweek. That's three points from a possible 12 if my maths still works, and for them that's unusual.

There's little doubt that they are a degree or several below par right now and there's any number of theories as to why that is.

Gundogan is being missed in the middle of the park - authority, important goals, attitude, experience, a winning mindset. We'll probably never know the details that led him to depart for Spain but he's left an enormous hole.

They, and especially Erling Haaland, are missing long-term absentee Kevin De Bruyne too. Chance-maker extraordinaire. Thoroughbred. Talisman. Rodri missed the midweek loss through suspension, and he's vital. Hasn't been at his imperious best of late either.

He'll return on Sunday, and the faithful will heave a sigh of relief.

They've looked suspect at the back, with Dias way off his normal levels, and Akanji the same. Stones has been missed, another losing time through injury, and the left-back berth is problematical.

I'm not sure it's the best use of Gvardiol's talents, and Ake probably convinces most, when deployed there.

Luton boss Rob Edwards said Manchester City's recent form "doesn't make any difference to us. Look what they’ve done in recent years - they’re a winning machine. We’re expecting the best and that’s what we’re preparing for."

Luton defender Issa Kabore is on loan from City so won't face his parent club on Sunday.

• Yes - Both Teams To Score

City aren't keeping clean sheets. Nor are Luton, far more understandably. They'll be in City's face metaphorically, surely, from minute one, and the Blues will have bags of possession from which to create.

I can see both getting on the scoresheet, no question in my book.

I thought it might be an optical illusion, but Kenilworth Road always looks a little on the small side to me, pitch-wise. Sure enough, it's around 5 metres shorter than one of the largest, The Etihad; and a couple of metres narrower.

Might not sound much but it makes for an approximate 7,140 sq. metres of playing surface in East Manchester, compared to 6,619 in Bury Park, Bedfordshire.

Upshot being the likelihood of more close-combat duels, goalmouth spills, and mistakes under pressure; playing nicely into the areas we've concentrated upon in our bet.

• Erling Haaland to Score Anytime 

He's missed a raft of late, and someone's going to pay for that. Probably soon. Possibly on Sunday.

• Luton Most Team Booking Pts

They'll fancy their chances of an upset, quite rightly. They've ruffled some expensive feathers recently. Now the Treble winners are in town.

Up for it? Do you think? That eagerness can translate into a few transgressions perhaps, and rack up a few points on the cards front.

#PickYourPunt 10/3

This is their first clash since 1999, when both were in English football's third tier. If City don't get their head in front it will be five top-flight games on the spin without a win, and that's NEVER happened to Josep 'Pep' Guardiola Sala before in his managerial career. Plenty on the line then.

Football betting tips, from Betfred Insights