FC Basel v Manchester United betting

FC Basel: Group Position: 3rd, Group Form: WDLDW

Basel travelled to Old Trafford in September as expected whipping boys and came away with a point. But that was not the whole story. Two nil down inside 20 minutes, the game looked over for the team storming the Swiss top division. However, not only did they battle back to parity, which is not a familiar occurrence for away side at United, they actually went 3-2 ahead, and were only pinned back for the draw by a stoppage time Ashley Young header.

Basel vs Man Utd odds

This year they have already bettered their points tally from last year’s group stages, but come into the last game with the daunting task, albeit at home, of having to beat Manchester United to qualify for the knockout stages. Mere minutes they may have been from an away victory in the reverse fixture, but this is pressure time against last year’s beaten finalists.

The threat will surely come from the man who scored two at Old Trafford; Alexander Frei.

Manchester United: Group Position: 2nd, Group Form: DDWWD

Manchester United travel to Switzerland needing only to avoid defeat. You would imagine this a rather straightforward assignment for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, but they have been a little inconsistent in this season’s Champions League. Two home 2-2 draws, one with Basel the other last time out against Benfica, have shown United to be a little bit vulnerable.

Having recovered from their defeat to Crystal Palace last week in the League Cup by defeating Aston Villa away from home, can United now come here and do a professional job? The likelihood is that even with victory they will finish second in a group they should be topping, and will find themselves facing a much harder knockout stage than they usually expect.

Having used this competition to rotate his side, Sir Alex surely will not risk their Champions League place by dropping big names? The squad is a little bare up top, with Hernandez following Berbatov and Owen into the physio room this weekend, and Danny Welbeck short of match fitness. Wayne Rooney could lead the line and be supported by a five man midfield to secure a tight match and passage to the next round.

Match Prediction: DRAW – 4.00 Stan James

Manchester United are coming to Switzerland to take qualification and leave. Nothing else. How they get there is not important as long as the job is done. Their indifferent performances in the competition, only beating bottom placed Otelul Galati so far, have stuck them in second place and in an uncomfortable last game situation.

Basel proved themselves able of scoring against United, not many teams get three goals at Old Trafford, but this time round United will be looking to suffocate them and the flow of the game. For all their flair, Sir Alex’s teams know how to bore out a result.

Since the crushing defeat to Manchester City in October only two of United’s games have had over 2.5 goals, the 2-2 draw with Benfica and the 3-0 victory over Aldershot. That Aldershot game on the 25^th October is the last time United scored more than two in a game. They’ve tried to tighten up, back to grinding wins, and a ground out point here is all they need.

Highlighted Bets:-

Over/Under: Under 2.5 Goals – 2.2 Ladbrokes

First Goalscorer: Ashley Young – 9.5 Bet 365

Correct Score: 1-1 Draw – 8.5 William Hill

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Manchester City v Bayern Munich betting

In the last round of matches Man City suffered a crucial defeat against Napoli. It’s fair to say that they haven’t adapted to the Champions League well and they know that even a win may not be enough to qualify for the knockout stages. With Bayern already through, will this make City’s task of winning the match a bit easier, or will the Germans provide the final blow for Mancini’s men?

Manchester City – CL Form: DLWWL

Man City’s home form in the Champions League so far reads as one win and one draw. They know that they must win and hope Napoli don’t in order to reach the knockout round. They are likely to send out a strong side to face Bayern, who may rest some of their stars having already won the group.

Mario Balotelli, alongside Yaya Toure, is City’s top scorer in the competition. If he starts then the best odds you can get for him scoring first are 11/2 from skybet.

Both of the home matches at the Etihad Stadium have been close. City beat Villarreal 2-1 and drew 1-1 with Napoli. For an equally tight match and there to be under 3.5 goals, you can get odds of 4/9 Bet365.

Bayern Munich – CL Form: WWDWW

Bayern Munich have enjoyed a near perfect group campaign this season. They have already guaranteed the top spot and can afford to rest a few of their key players for Wednesday’s match.

If they are to play their best team then Mario Gomez is the clear danger man, with 6 goals already this season. The best odds for him to score anytime are 9/4 from Stan James.

If you fancy putting a bet on Bayern to win the match then there are some really good odds. The best odds come from William Hill who have given Munich a 5/1 shot to win.

Match Prediction: Man City to win – 4/6 BlueSquare

Roberto Mancini is likely to name a very strong side to get the victory needed against Bayern to have any hope of qualifying. Man City know it’s crunch time and with their home fans cheering them on surely there’s no other result thinkable other than a home win. But they must be cautious, Bayern Munich are still one of the European giants and can cause plenty of problems for City’s defence.

Article by Nick Whittaker

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Aston Villa v Manchester United betting

Aston Villa: League Position: 8th, League Form: LDWLD

Five points from their last six games is not a glowing record of recent form for Alex McLeish’s Aston Villa side. Last week’s 0-0 draw at Swansea was set on the background of a tragic death in football, and maybe the dull game can be excused accordingly, but the fixture before at White Hart Lane was never a contest. With full backs on the wings to defend all over the field, Tottenham walked all over Villa. McLeish set out a side to nullify his opponents and failed miserably.

Aston Villa vs Man Utd odds

For a side that has spent years set up to attack with pace, McLeish’s defensive nature (if his Birmingham side is anything to go by at least) has not settled immediately. They do have, however, the speed up front that can keep them dangerous at all times. The likes of Agbonlahor, Bent and N’Zogbia certain offer a lot of threat to defenders, and the goals of Bent and Agbonlahor at home (the pair have scored 10 goals between them this season, nine of which have come at Villa Park) have got them three wins and two draws from six home fixtures.

Manchester United: League Position: 2nd, League Form: LWWWD

Unbeaten in the four Premier League games since that defeat against rivals Manchester City, taking all competitions into account United are without a win in three games. It’s not often Sir Alex Ferguson’s side go three games without a win, and you would not want to be the team facing them after a League Cup defeat in midweek that Sir Alex described as “not a Manchester United performance”.

14 points from a possible 18 away from home shows the Red Devils are not exactly suffering this season, but whilst they got away with average performances in their title win last season, this time around Manchester City have upped the game and are already five points ahead of the Champions.

Having seen Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale terrify and outplay the Aston Villa defence you would expect to see the pace of Nani and Villa old boy Young used to full effect out wide, with Rooney and Hernandez sharing a similar dynamic to Van Der Vaart/Adebayor partnership that proved so successful in that game. With Berbatov, Welbeck and Owen unfit and Valencia and Park used in the poor midweek game, it is likely these four will start, and surely have too much for a shaky Villans backline.

Match Prediction: Manchester United Win – 1.75 William Hill

This is Aston Villa’s worst start to a season since 2005-06 when they had 12 points after 13 matches and finished 16th. And yet they have not come up against the big sides. Their one appearance against the pre-season top six prospects was that one sided defeat against Spurs.

Some ominous stats are out there to detract from any positive Villa result too. United have lost only one of their last 31 league meetings with Aston Villa (W21, D9, L1), and Ferguson is unbeaten in the last 28 matches in which he has faced a former player of his who has turned to management.

Manchester United are used to winning at Villa Park, and they are not using to going four games without victory. Whilst Villa are on their worst league start for years and are happy with their position, Manchester United have only ever had more points at this stage of the season three times since the Premier League began, and they are disappointed with how things are going.

The big four players up top for United look a real class act. With Rooney without a goal in his last seven Premier League appearances it has been down to Javier Hernandez to stick the ball in the net, which he has done four times in the past six games. Old boy Ashley Young has been a little quiet lately, but old players always come back to score, don’t they?

Highlighted Bets:-

Over/Under: Over 2.5 Goals – 1.91 Stan James

First Goalscorer: Javier Hernandez – 5.5 Paddy Power

Correct Score: Aston 1 – 3 Manchester United – 15.00 William Hill

To Score Anytime: Ashley Young – 3.6 Paddy Power

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Newcastle v Chelsea betting

Newcastle take on Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime as the 2 sides in 4^th and 5^th battle it out. Chelsea probably didn’t expect to be lower than Newcastle in the table at this stage, but a slow start for them and a flying one for Newcastle means they are. Both sides come into this on the back of good Premier League results last time out, but Chelsea suffered the 2-0 Carling Cup defeat to Liverpool in midweek.

Newcastle

Alan Pardew has done a great job with Newcastle this season and the Magpies are currently unbeaten at home in the league so far. Chelsea’s poor recent form means that Newcastle are a little shorter than usual, but there is still some good value to be had in a home win. Ladbrokes are offering especially good odds of 4.0 on the home team taking all 3 points. Demba Ba has been in particularly good form this season, with 9 goals in 12 games, and is looking like a great bet at 8.0 with Ladbrokes. Alan Pardew has instilled a steely defence in his troops this season, and it has paid off so far, as they have conceded just 12 goals, the joint best record in the league. With this in mind, betting on under 2.5 goals is definitely looking like a good bet with odds of 1.95 available from Bet365.

Chelsea

Chelsea’s slow start to the season has continued recently as they have lost of their last 4 games in all competitions. They are though, still only 10 points off top of the table Man City. Scoring goals, hasn’t really been a problem for the Blues so far this season, except Fernando Torres of course, but it’s at the back they have been found wanting. Villas-Boas has continued to play a high line, which has seen his team caught out by pace on many occasions. Because of this, even if Chelsea do manage to get a win, you can definitely see Newcastle scoring. So betting on a 2-1 away win is looking a great bet with 9.0 available at Paddy Power. Daniel Sturridge has been a shining light for Chelsea this season with a great record of 6 goals in 9 league matches. Therefore he is definitely worth betting on to score at any time with odds of 2.88 available from Stan James.

Highlighted Bets

Home WIN – 4.0 Ladbrokes

Demba Ba 1^st goal scorer – 8.0 Ladbrokes

Under 2.5 Goals – 1.95 Bet365

2-1 away WIN – 9.0 Paddy Power

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Tingle Creek Chase betting preview

Paul Nicholls relies on Kauto Stone and Tataniano for Saturday’s Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park in a race he has won for the last six years, writes Mikey Mumford. The Ditcheat handler has a magnificent record in this 2m contest but will face stiff competition from Irish challenger and Queen Mother conqueror Sizing Europe while Wishfull Thinking could have a say in where the £120,000 pot ends up.

Cornas Much improved effort last time when finding only the useful Medermit too good and his last victory came over course and distance earlier this year. Ran poorly in the Queen Mother and has work to do to get on terms with a couple of these; so best watched this time.

Dan Breen Not showed much since his odds on win in a weak event at Uttoxeter and has struggled against similar opposition before now. He was disqualified over course and distance in February in a three-runner affair but looks up against it here; easy to look elsewhere.

Fix The Rib Weakened quite rapidly when tackling this trip in similar company two runs back and blundered and tailed off latest. That form doesn’t instil confidence and unlikely to trouble any of these rivals.

Gauvain German raider who won easily on his reappearance and has previous course and distance winning form from 2009. Noel Fehily won this race last year and Gauvain does most of his winning on good to soft. Possibly in with a chance of minor honours providing he puts in a good round of jumping.

I’msingingtheblues Ridden out to win over a little further at Ascot last time in a lesser contest than this but was well beaten when tackling Grade 1 company at the Cheltenham Festival this year. Has a preference for good ground but others preferred.

Kauto Stone Half-brother to top class chaser Kauto Star and brother to 2m hurdle winner so very likeable pedigree. Got off the mark in impressive fashion at Down Royal last month over this same trip and improvement expected once more. Has an excellent chance and very much one for the shortlist.

Sizing Europe Queen Mother victor and although he was beaten last time after a mistake 2 out, that was over an extended 3m trip. He drops back to 2m and should be in with a good chance if the ground softens; not one too dismiss.

Tataniano Probably the stable’s first string with Ruby Walsh aboard but lightly raced sort who was mightily impressive at Chepstow latest. He was disappointing over this course and distance two runs back despite being sent off market leader but better can be expected this time from a trainer who boasts an excellent record in this race in recent years.

Wishfull Thinking Was well supported for last month’s Paddy Power Gold Cup and didn’t do himself justice but should be judged on his previous efforts. He scooped back-to-back wins at Punchestown and Aintree this year over a little further so likely to be thereabouts.

It is very likely Paul Nicholls representatives will be thereabouts and Tataniano just shades the verdict of his two runners. However, WISHFULL THINKING was well supported last time and couldn’t deliver but he is given another chance here to get it right. Sizing Europe is likely to be in the shake-up too dropping back to 2m. [Mikey Mumford]

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Manchester United v Crystal Palace betting

On a weekend full of emotions, this week’s matches will be overshadowed by Gary Speed’s death. Minutes of respect are expected at all the matches but the games will still go ahead. Can Palace continue their excellent progression under the management of Dougie Freedman, or will United’s second string be able to march through to the Semi Finals?

Man Utd – Form (all competitions): WWWDD

United have had an easy run in this year’s Carling Cup. They have defeated Leeds and Aldershot and face another relatively easy side in the Quarter Finals. They’ll still have to work hard though, as Palace are a tough nut to crack this season.

In both matches this year, United have managed 3-0 victories. The best odds on a repeat of that scoreline are 7/1 from Boylesports.

Dimitar Berbatov is likely to continue his run in the side for Carling Cup matches. The best odds for him to score first are 7/2 from totesport and Betfred.

Crystal Palace – Form (all competitions): DDLLD

Palace’s season has hit a bit of a lull. They have failed to score in their last five games and they will find it difficult to score at the Theatre of Dreams. If they are to have a goal-scoring hero then it is likely to be their top scorer Wilfried Zaha. Zaha has scored 3 in the League Cup and the best odds for him to score anytime are 6/1 from William Hill.

Palace have got a great defence, but that will surely be tested out on Wednesday. If they are to somehow qualify, then you can get odds of 11/1 to win in 90 minutes (Bluesquare), 66/1 to win after extra time (bet365) or 40/1 to win on penalties (bet365)

Match Prediction: Man United to win – 1/4 (Victor Chandler)

United should be far too strong for Crystal Palace. With arch-rivals City dominating the league, Sir Alex Ferguson will want to ensure that the Blue side of Manchester don’t dominate all of the domestic competitions. Therefore, he will be expecting a polished job from his side, whether they’re the second string or not.

Selected Odds:

Berbatov to score a hat-trick: 20/1 totesport

Man United to win 5-1: 28/1 Skybet

Both teams to score: 6/5 Ladbrokes

Article by Nick Whittaker

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Arsenal vs Man City Carling Cup betting

Arsenal:

The League Cup has traditionally in recent times been an opportunity for Arsene Wenger to showcase some of his young talent, but this year it appears to be different. They have only won this competition twice and Arsenal are under pressure from the fans, they have not done to well in the Premiership thus so far and have not won any silver wear for quite some time, therefore it’s clear that Arsene will want to put out his best playing 11 to ensure that the club go all the way in the competition.

Arsenal’s previous match in the competition against Bolton was a tight one, there was a mixture of some young inexperienced players and some experienced players on the field, Bolton impressed and to be fair Arsenal were lucky to score the second and final goal as Bolton had some easy chances.  Other than the match against Bolton they have not struggled at all in the competition, which has helped by having a few easy matches.

On the weekend against Fulham, it is still clear that Arsenal carries on having problems in defence as well as up front. Only a few of the players actually look like they are on some form, with each of the back four looking seriously all over the place. But it only about time that they click again, Arsenal play attractive football even when they are off form and this will not change.

Given the current form Arsenal have been in, they really do need to go for it in the League Cup, there are a few good teams left in the competition and it is 100% predictable that Arsenal wont rest his top players from now on in the competition, as it could be costly in the long run for both him and the club.

Manchester City:

It is clear that Man City have a huge squad, their 3^rd team is near enough equal to many Premiership Teams. The club have scored 7 in their last 2 games in the competition, it has just been pure fun for them, a lot of experiments in the game, a lot of formations and a lot of great football played.  Man City have just looked to destroy all teams this season in the Premiership, they averaged near 3 goals per match home and away.

Last week the Champions League result was a bit of a surprise and it becomes apparent to other teams that Man City at times do lack a bit of concentration against teams that like to keep possession. On Sunday against Liverpool they were outplayed, they created very few chances and were on the back foot a lot, especially during the second half. It is hard to imagine that Man City will now lack a bit of form, with the amount of strength they have, whatever team they put out will be a strong one.

The competition will be an important one for Man City, they went hard at it last year, but now with the amount of quality they have in their squad it should not be a surprise to think that the club will look to go after every title.

Arsenal v Man City:

Given that on Saturday Man City have a home fixture against Norwich; it wouldn’t be a surprise if Man City put out their best side. Furthermore, due to Arsenal’s lack of success in the trophy cabinet during the last few years and their lack of form in the Premiership recently, they should also play their strongest team, which gives the impression that this match will be a very good one.

Arsenal continually pass the ball around well, they look pretty suspect on the break and Man City have a few players who have a bit of pace and could surely put pressure on the already weak Arsenal defence. But I am sure that Arsene would have watched Man City’s last two games and he will surely have a few tactics in play, his team likes to keep hold of possession and pass it around a lot, which could frustrate Man City. Man City will however miss Gareth Barry to provide some discipline in midfield as he is suspended for this match.

Out of the two sides, Arsenal are the team under pressure, realistically this looks like the only trophy Arsenal can win this season with the current strength in their squad.

Joe Hart has been in spectacular form in the net for Man City, Dzeko and Aguero have 24 goals between them in 20 matches this season and they are defiantly the danger men.

For Arsenal, Van Persie has been the stand out guy this season for the club with 17 goals in 13 matches, it has even been reported that Man City will try and entice him in January.  Theo Walcott is also a guy to watch, not for goals but for the crosses and pace that he regularly provides.

Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Man City (11/1 at Betfred and Totesport). I think Arsenal will just edge it due to the type of football they play, I think that both Arsene and the fans are more eager to succeed in this competition, but either way I am sure we will see many goals.

Match prediction: To Score first – Dzeko 6/1 at Betfred

Odds:

Man City to win – 11/8 (at Skybet )

Arsenal to win – 15/8 (Bet365)

Other odds to score first –

• Van Persie – 6/1 William Hill.
• Aguero – 6/1 Boylesport.
• Chu-Young Park – 8/1 William Hill.
• David Silva – 8/1 Betfred.
• Yaya Toure – 11/1 – William Hill and Stan James.

Article by Mani Basi.

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Liverpool v Manchester City betting

Man City’s midweek agony at Napoli showed the vulnerabilities of Roberto Mancini’s men. Liverpool have been in good form in the league this season and have shown that they mean business this season, especially after their victory over Chelsea last Sunday. Can Liverpool keep up their pursuit for a top four finish, or will Man City continue their seemingly unstoppable Premier League form?

Liverpool – PL Form: DDWDW

Liverpool’s season has seen them gain excellent away victories at the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal. However, their home form has seen them fail to beat Norwich, Swansea and Sunderland. Their most notable home result was their 1-1 draw against City’s main rivals Man Utd.

Luis Suarez has been in great form for Liverpool with 7 goals in all competition. His true grit has shone through in his performances and the best odds for him to score first are 7/1 from Ladbrokes.

Games at Anfield this season haven’t seen many goals. The only game that has had more than 3 goals was Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Bolton. The best odds for the game to have under 3.5 goals are 4/11 from Boylesports.

Manchester City – PL Form: WWWWW

Man City’s victory over Newcastle last week means they are the only unbeaten team in the Premier League. They have shown how ruthless they can be away from home, including that 6-1 victory at Old Trafford and a 4-0 victory at Blackburn. However, their last away day was a shaky 3-2 victory over QPR, but as they say in the Premier League, all the best teams grind out victories against those ‘lesser’ teams. Man City’s only points dropped came away from home in a draw at Fulham.

Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero have both scored 10 goals in the Premier League. Mario Balotelli has also been firing on all cylinders. Balotelli is most likely to start after his goal against Napoli and the best odds for him to score first are 13/2 from bet365.

Last time Man City went to Anfield they lost 3-0.

Match Prediction: Draw 12/5 Victor Chandler

This game seems too close to call. Man City are in great form in the league but their midweek disappointment in Italy could have lost some of their vital team spirit. Liverpool are likely to be without Steven Gerrard which could be vital for the game. However, Kenny Dalglish has got them performing like the old Liverpool everyone knows so a positive result is definitely on the cards.

Article by Nick Whittaker

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Arsenal v Fulham betting

Two sides with contrasting recent form clash in a London derby on Saturday evening. Arsenal have been in blistering form, climbing the table, but Fulham have had a stop, start first 11 games. A win here could be big for both teams but can Fulham really upset the odds? It looks a tall order considering they haven’t won any of their last 10 visits to Arsenal, and have only managed 2 draws.

Arseanl v Fulham odds

Arsenal

Arsenal have been in fantastic form recently, winning their last 5 games in the Premier League. They’ve moved up to 7th in the league table, but only 3 points outside of the Champions League places. It’s quite a turn around, and it’s mostly down to Robin Van Persie, who has now scored an unbelievable 31 goals in 29 league games this calendar year. The Dutchman is looking great value at 4.0 with Skybet to score 2 or more goals during the game. Arsenal’s impressive recent run also makes them firm favourites and so there isn’t much value in a home win. So betting on a 2-0 correct score is looking much better value with odds of 7.5 from Skybet. If you needed any more convincing, Arsenal have won 5 of their 6 home games so far this season, with the 1 defeat coming against Liverpool in August.

Fulham

It’s safe to say that Fulham have really struggled to juggle the Europa League with the Premier league this season, and they currently lie in a disappointing 16th place. Only 2 points off the relegation zone, Fulham’s season started as far back as June, and it’s starting to tell. They’ve only won 1 of their last 5 games in the league, collecting just 4 points on the way. Because of this, the Cottagers are clear outsiders at 9.0 with Betfred. Martin Jol’s men haven’t been too bad at the back this season, conceding only 15, but they’ve only managed to score 14. This is with the 6 goals they scored in 1 game against Queens Park Rangers, so betting on under 2.5 goals with odds of 1.67 at Stan James looks sensible. Andy Johnson has bagged 3 league goals this season and is decent odds at 4.5 with Skybet to score at any time.

Highlighted Bets

Robin Van Persie to score 2 or more – 4.0 Skybet
Arsenal 2-0 correct score – 7.5 Skybet
Fulham WIN – 9.0 Betfred
Andy Johnson anytime scorer – 4.5 Skybet
Under 2.5 goals – 1.67 Stan James

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Manchester United v Newcastle United betting

Manchester United: League Position: 2nd, League Form: DLWWW

Manchester United continue to chase rivals Manchester City, five points behind already and looking into the face of City’s money filled revolution winning its first title. Beaten only once this season, by City, United still look immovable against the rest of the league, even taking a draw at Anfield with a weakened side.

Manchester United v Newcastle United odds

18 goals in six home games shows United also continue their strong home form of last season, even with a defeat this term, whereas they were unbeaten at home last season and dropped only two points.

The goals have dried up a little since that defeat, with Rooney suddenly playing deeper than ever before, sometimes holding the midfield at its deepest. Clean sheets against Swansea, Sunderland and Everton have only seen three 1-0 wins, and it seems Sir Alex Ferguson has responded to his side’s setback by tightening up.

Now the goals are being nicked by the best poacher in the league. Javier Hernandez has come into fitness and continued where he left off last season. The master of stealing goals gives Rooney the freedom to roam the pitch at his will, and many of his five goals have been vital, especially in the 1-0 at Swansea last weekend and the equaliser against Liverpool last month.

Newcastle United: League Position: 4th, League Form: DWWWL

High flying Newcastle lost their first game of the season last week at Manchester City and have to walk straight into the over half of Manchester in an attempt to bounce back. The second in a run of tough games, next week they face Chelsea, they come into the game with Manchester United having never won this fixture in Premier League history (11 defeats and six draws).

Their early season success has been a whole team effort. Their back five hasn’t changed, Coloccini looking Premier League quality this time around and Tim Krul showing himself to be a fantastic young ‘keeper with even more potential.

Losing Nolan and Barton, arguably two of last season’s best players, has made the side more mobile in midfield, with French midfielder Cabaye combining perfectly with Cheick Tiote. Even Demba Ba has replaced Andy Carroll in the new look Newcastle, scoring the most headers in the Premier League this year, and playing an all round faster and more active game, eight goals a fine return.

Match Prediction: Manchester United Win – 1.4 Bet365

Newcastle have certainly looked good this season, but they had not faced one of the top teams on form until last week, where they first tasted defeat, at the City of Manchester stadium. Draws at home against Arsenal whilst they floundered and Tottenham before they hit form are different propositions to Manchester City and Manchester United.

Manchester United come into this game having looked tighter in defence in recent Premier League games, although their midweek performance against Benfica showed their defensive instability remains from their big defeat against Manchester City. Newcastle will look to take the game to them, and the return to the side of Ashley Young and Nani, as well as the rested Rooney and Hernandez to come back in, means United are again predisposed to attack.

If both United’s do look to attack there will be goals. Manchester United have weaknesses in defence but are too strong for Newcastle in attack. Javier Hernandez can benefit from the space he will find and the chance a trio of Rooney, Young and Nani behind him will make.

Highlighted Bets:-

Over/Under: Over 2.5 Goals – 1.7 Bet 365,

First Goalscorer: Javier Hernandez – 4.75 Bet 365

Correct Score: 3-1 Man United Win – 12.00 William Hill

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