Premier League Pre-Season Friendlies: Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool to all net

Man City are more fancied than Liverpool to deliver in 2014/15

There won't be a clean sheet in sight when Vitesse face Chelsea and Man City meet Liverpool, argues Michael Lintorn...

Vitesse v Chelsea
Wednesday, 18:30
Live on Chelsea TV

Match Odds: Vitesse 7.413/2, Chelsea 1.4740/85, The Draw 4.84/1

Chelsea have headed to the Netherlands to check in with feeder club Vitesse - who currently house Blues players Bertrand Traore and Wallace - in the latest phase of their pre-season preparation.

It has been a productive period for Jose Mourinho and co with Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and Didier Drogba signing and Thibaut Courtois' integration confirmed. On the pitch, they have won three and drawn one of their four friendlies to date. Both teams scored in the latter three and that trend is 1.865/6 to continue.

The decision to restrict their activity to Europe as their top-seven adversaries flew out to USA or the Far East may also reap rewards, with Louis van Gaal expressing concern over Man United's schedule. Indeed, the west Londoners are judged 2.982/1 favourites in the Premier League winner market.

Man City v Liverpool
Thursday, 00:00
Live on Sky Sports 1

Match Odds: Man City 2.01/1, Liverpool 4.03/1, The Draw 3.9n/a

This is the most interesting pre-season fixture yet from an English perspective, as last term's Premier League top two clash at a not-obscenely-antisocial hour on a widely-available channel. If the contest is of a similar standard to their two 2013/14 showdowns, it should be every bit as engrossing as it is glamorous.

Man City have enjoyed a far more fruitful summer, recruiting Willy Caballero, Bacary Sagna and Fernando for the loss of only Costel Pantilimon and Joleon Lescott, whereas Liverpool have waved off Luis Suarez and spent more than they received for him on six men unproven at the highest level.

The perception that the Reds haven't quite kept pace with their rivals is reflected in the Premier League winner market where, despite their second-place finish, Brendan Rodgers' men are distant 14.013/1 fifth favourites. By contrast, the champions trail Chelsea alone at 3.55/2.

Back to this International Champions Cup spectacle at New York's Yankee Stadium, top spot in Group B is at stake for the victors. Both teams to score is the preferred punt again though at 1.635/8, having been a feature of Man City's last three friendlies and the duo's previous five head-to-heads.