Premier League Big Match Focus: How to back a 6/1 bet builder in Leeds v Man City

• City could be 8pts adrift at kick-off

• Haaland well-rested

• World Cup stars return

Manchester City return to Premier League action with a five point gap to make up on league leaders Arsenal, and their first test is a trip to Elland Road.

City have had a long time to digest their last league result before the World Cup, a 2-1 home reverse against Brentford. It was their first home defeat of the season, while Ivan Toney's winner was one of just two last-minute efforts they have conceded in the league along with Anthony Martial's consolation effort in the Manchester Derby.

Leeds saw their form pick up before the break, but they too signed off with a loss. Back-to-back victories over Liverpool and Bournemoutb had helped drag Jesse Marsch's team out of the bottom three, but they failed to hold on at Tottenham despite leading three times, with a late Rodrigo Bentancur double handing them defeat.

World Cup exertions

A number of players will be back in contention after mixed fortunes at the World Cup. Leeds' Brenden Aaronson leads the Premier League for pressures and will feel he has a point to prove after being under-used in the United States' run to the last 16, while City's Phil Foden had a mixed tournament as England reached the quarter-finals.

In Foden's last five league starts, he has six goals and one assist. That tally includes City's goal against Brentford last time out, and he also netted on his first World Cup start against Wales, though his club record has been far more impressive at home than on the road.

Plenty of eyes will also be on those players fresh after not featuring in Qatar. Premier League top scorer Erling Haaland got some time off and will be raring to go for City, while Leeds record-breakers Crysencio Summerville and Rodrigo will both be looking to score in a fifth straight game if fit.

The Spurs game marked the first time two players have simultaneously scored in four in a row for the Whites in the Premier League, and no member of their squad has managed five on the spin since they returned to the top flight in 2020.

Horrible history

Leeds impressed against Pep Guardiola's side in the 2020-21 season, with a 2-1 away win with 10 men a particular highlight of that campaign. It was a different story last term, though, with the league champions completing a double with an aggregate score of 11-0.

Nine different players scored for City across those two matches, with only Kevin De Bruyne and Nathan Aké scoring more than once against Leeds, and Aké was on target again for City in a midweek EFL Cup win over Liverpool. If the hosts want to take any consolation, they may point to the fact that two scorers at Elland Road - Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho - have since moved on.

Leeds will be without Tyler Adams for their Premier League return, after his red card against Spurs, while Patrick Bamford missed the recent friendly game against Monaco through injury. 2020-21 top scorer Bamford has the highest xG of any Premier League player yet to score this term, with 4.1, and his absence could see summer signing Willy Gnonto continue in attack.

Leeds United v Manchester City prediction

City haven't lost consecutive league games since 2018, which probably tells you most of what you need to know about the quality in their squad.

The second of those games was at least in late December, with Leicester City the victors, and on the same day Leeds were coming from behind to beat Blackburn Rovers in the Championship thanks to a pair of stoppage-time goals from Kemar Roofe.

If Leeds want to cause a surprise, they'll need to do something they have not achieved this millennium. In their seven games against defending champions since beating Arsenal in May 1999, the Yorkshire side have no wins. They've drawn two and lost five - including that pair of defeats against City last term - though they did earn a point at home to title-holders Liverpool in 2021.

One thing we can probably anticipate is goals, with City the top scorers in the league and Leeds' last four games producing 22 goals. A both teams to score bet looks like a reasonable shout, while it's hard to envisage a City game passing without a well-rested Haaland - or even a poorly-rested Haaland - finding the target.

If you're tempted by a bet builder, both teams to score with Haaland scoring and Rodrigo scoring or assisting is available at 4.98. Throw a City victory in on top and it climbs to 6.86.