Premier League betting – Everton vs Man Utd

Everton vs Man Utd betting preview, odds and tips

He stole David Beckham’s limelight in the San Siro on Tuesday, and now Wayne Rooney returns to his boyhood club on Saturday as his Manchester United side prepare to do battle with Everton. Since donning the infamous ‘once a blue always a blue’ shirt when scoring for Everton, the England striker is nearing a century of goals for the Red Devils and looks set to spearhead his country at this years World Cup Finals. But that a side, a certain title race is gathering pace and United find themselves odds on favourites with the bookies to claim victory at Goodison in the Premier League’s lunchtime fixture. The visitors are 5/6 to secure all three points in front of the Sky cameras, the Toffees are a good 7/2 shot whilst a point-a-piece pays out at 5/2.

After heading a brace in Milan in midweek, Rooney and co return to league action this weekend in the knowledge that a point would take them back to the Premier League summit, at least temporarily. Chelsea travel to Wolves for a 3pm kick off, but the reigning champions have a superior goal difference and a point will lift United into top spot if only for a few hours. However, Sir Alex’s side have gone eight unbeaten in the league and the team will be oozing with confidence after smashing three past AC Milan in the Champions League. The United gaffer must be wary of an Everton side that have already accounted for leaders Chelsea and Manchester City on home turf. And memories of last season’s painful FA Cup semi-final defeat on penalties against Everton won’t have been quick to vanish. But the stats don’t make pleasant reading for Evertonians, they haven’t mustered a win against the Manchester United in the league since April 2005 and have failed to breach the United rearguard in their last two meetings.

Everton fans have already witness their team win at Goodison this week – hard fought 2-1 win over Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Europa League on Tuesday – and David Moyes will settle for a repeat score line this Saturday. Prior to the defeat to local rivals Liverpool at the start of February, the Toffees had gone nine unbeaten in the league, a feat which now sees them sitting comfortably in 9th place, quite a turnaround considering the club were only two points clear of the relegation trap door in early December. They have been boosted by the return of midfield playmaker Mikel Arteta of late, who completed over an hour of football in midweek after a ten month lay off. But the Merseyside club have been dealt a massive blow as news emerged this week that fellow midfielder Marouane Fellaini will miss the remainder of the campaign with an ankle problem.

The pair last met in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford in November, United running out comfortable winners beating Tim Howard on three occasions without reply. Wayne Rooney didn’t manage to mark the score sheet that time, but his form of late is showing no signs of slowing 10/3 with Coral to break the deadlock. The man Sir Alex described as “devastating” against Milan has already netted three times against the club he joined as a 10 year old, since departing them in 2004 and he seems a cracking bet to add to his 25 goals already this term. Louis Saha bagged a brace against Chelsea last time out and is Everton’s best bet to score first against his former employers at 7/1. Wayne Rooney’s temper has been known to flare in games and may things boil over against his boyhood club? 14/1 says he is to receive his marching orders.

The key battle lies with Rooney and Everton’s Nigerian defender Joseph Yobo. Can the African keep the livewire quiet? The weight of history is firmly against the Toffees but on their day they are capable of beating the top teams, as Chelsea found out last week. They won’t be short of backers at 7/2 to topple Sir Alex’s side. Will a lethargic United turn up on Saturday after their midweek exploits? The bookies don’t think so and at odds on are not great value, so back United in a treble alongside Arsenal and Chelsea, who should also win their respective matches.

Reccomended bets: Back Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal all to win in an accumulator paying 2/1 with VC Bet

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