Whether City can escape the Chelsea stranglehold is another matter. Chelsea have won the last six league meetings with City, who have beaten the Londoners only once in 14 attempts since returning to the Premier League in 2000. Since that win, almost four years ago, City have not scored in seven games against Chelsea and overall they have failed to score in 11 of their 14 league meetings, losing 12 times.

Those figures will be familiar to Mark Hughes, City's new manager. During his time at Blackburn, Hughes had similar difficulty against Chelsea, losing six out of eight league meetings - as well as both cup games - and winning only once. Blackburn failed to score in six of those eight league games, mirroring City's poor record at breaching Chelsea's defence.

Chelsea have ranked first or second on away form in each of the past five seasons, with an average away win rate of 66%, which rises to 73% when visits to other members of the big four are excluded. It is more than two years since they lost on the road against a team that did not go on to finish in the top six.

On those figures it might be expecting too much for City to match Chelsea just yet, and the league leaders rate a decent bet at the odds.

City's long-term prospects are intriguing, with an almost limitless transfer kitty in place for the January window. The title has been 'bought' before, by Blackburn in the mid-1990s and Chelsea more recently, though Blackburn needed three seasons in the Premier League before steel tycoon Jack Walker's cash took them to the top and Abramovich had to wait until his second season at Stamford Bridge to see Chelsea crowned champions.

City are 50-1 with the HKJC to top that by achieving a sensational title triumph this season, though a more realistic aim is a Champions League place. There were some holes in their form last season and my pre-season analysis predicted a ninth-place finish (they ranked eighth in the HKJC betting); now the expectation is for a top-six place at least.

The day's other big game is at Anfield where Liverpool host Manchester United.

Just as City have had difficulty scoring against Chelsea, so Liverpool have endured a long drought against United, whose defence has not been breached in the past seven league meetings with their bitter rivals.

United have won six of those seven games and have not lost in the league at Anfield since November 2001, winning five out of six since then. Liverpool's only respite from that dismal run came with an FA Cup home win over United three seasons ago.

The worry for Liverpool is that they have struggled in the league against all the other members of the Big Four, not just United, during Rafa Benitez's reign.

Benitez's record in big four league clashes is won four, drawn five, lost 15. At home the record is won four, drawn three, lost five, but still that is only a 33% win rate, and last season they didn't win at home in that category.

Most of the games against United have been close, however, with no more than one goal scored in any of the last five league and cup meetings at Anfield.

While United are favoured on the handicap, they do not have quite enough of an edge to make the final list of bets.

Arsenal rate a better bet for their visit to Blackburn. The Gunners were found out in their first away game of the season, losing 1-0 to Fulham, but manager Arsene Wenger suggested a lack of hard fitness played a part and there should be no such excuse now.

That defeat can be regarded as a blip judged against their improved away form last season - 10 wins and only one defeat in 16 games against teams from outside the big four.

With three wins and one draw in four league meetings with Blackburn in the past two seasons, Arsenal have strong credentials.

Milan are another big team that can bounce back from an early defeat.

The Rossoneri were better on the road than at home last season and they travel to Genoa, where they won 3-0 last time.

Schalke, who have lost only three of their last 18 away games, look solid on the handicap at Borussia Dortmund. Watford, beaten in just five out of 25 on the road since the start of last season, rate a good handicap bet too.

Case for the defence

Clean sheets for Chelsea in their last 16 away league games: 12

Shortlist:

Manchester United, Schalke, Wolfsburg, Arsenal, Watford, Chelsea, AC Milan, Mallorca, Villarreal, Caen.

Best bets:

$200 Schalke (handicap, Sat), Watford (handicap, Sat), $100 Arsenal (AW, Sat), Chelsea (AW, Sat), AC Milan (AW, Sun).

Form fact:

Everton's excellent record away to promoted teams was boosted by their recent win at West Brom - their 10th in 19 visits to Premier League newcomers under David Moyes - and they go for another victory at Stoke tomorrow night

Fixtures:

Liverpool v Manchester United

Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal

Fulham v Bolton Wanderers

Newcastle United v Hull City

Portsmouth v Middlesbrough

West Brom v West Ham United

Wigan Athletic v Sunderland

Manchester City v Chelsea

Playing on Sunday

Stoke City v Everton

Playing on Monday

Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa