Premier League betting – Man Utd vs Chelsea odds

Man Utd vs Chelsea betting preview

Premier League fixtures do not come much bigger than this. Old Trafford plays host to the potentially title deciding clash between the top two as Chelsea travel to Manchester looking to complete a league double over their fierce rivals. A solitary point separates United and the West Londoners at the summit, but come noon on Saturday the Red Devils could be celebrating a vital four point cushion over their opponents. Alternatively, the Blues can replace Sir Alex’s troops and claim top spot as we prepare for the closest title run-in in Premier League history. Paddy Power go 6/4 for a United win, Chelsea can be found at 9/5 while the Irish bookies pay the draw at 11/5.

Wayne Rooney on crutches, a sight that Manchester United and all English football fans didn’t want to see with the World Cup in South Africa looming. Thankfully, the injury the 34 goal striker sustained in the midweek defeat at Bayern Munich is only a minor one, and setbacks permitting he should be fit for this summers finals. However, the ligament damage he did suffer means he will miss the showdown with Chelsea, and his side’s odds have lengthened slightly as they prepare to do battle without their star man. The match may have lost some of its gloss with the news of Rooney’s absence, but it has been confirmed that Chelsea’s Didier Drogba will start the game after doubts had been cast over his fitness.

Chelsea seem to have overcome their Champions League headache of late, amassing 12 goals in their last two outings against Portsmouth and Aston Villa respectively. The Blues’ now have a superior goal difference over United and this could prove decisive if the title race does go right down to the wire.  Last Saturday’s 7-1 hammering of Aston Villa saw Frank Lampard help himself to four goals, as Carlo Ancelotti’s men showed no signs of missing their Ivorian hitman. The Blues’ record at Old Trafford is a good one, United have only beaten them seven times in 35 meetings and no team has scored more goals there and taken more points than Chelsea. So the form book might bode well, but Chelsea were comprehensively beaten 3-0 in the same fixture last season but a repeat score line this time around pays a massive 28/1 with Bet365.

Manchester United returned home from Germany with a 2-1 deficit and an injured Wayne Rooney, not the ideal Easter tonic Sir Alex Ferguson had in mind. Nevertheless, his United side have won their last six home games in all competitions and have dropped just five points at home all season. Aston Villa and Leeds United are the only teams to have beaten the reigning Premier League champions on home turf this season. Since Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have rekindled their defensive partnership, United have kept five clean sheets in their last eight games and haven’t been defeated since going down 3-1 at Everton in late February. Chelsea will have had a full seven days to prepare for Saturday’s crunch match but will the Red Devils’ overcome their European hangover and put the Blues to the sword? Chelsea won the reverse fixture 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in November thanks to a John Terry winner and JT will be hoping his side can complete the double over the Mancs.

Sir Alex has tipped young Federico Macheda to plug the gap while Wayne Rooney recovers. The Italian burst onto the scene last season scoring the winner at home to Aston Villa and followed this up with the only goal away to Sunderland. But injuries have halted his progress but he is likely to feature against Chelsea and SkyBet list him at 9/1 to break the deadlock. Dimitar Berbatov and Didier Drogba are joint favourites to score first at 5/1. Paddy Power go 17/2 that an own goal is scored, twelve of United’s goals this season have come courtesy of opposition players.

Rooney-less United are now even money to scoop their fourth successive Premier League title, while Chelsea are 11/8. Arsenal currently lie in third place four points off the pace and are listed at 11/2 to claw back this deficit and emulate the feat of the ‘Arsenal Invincibles’ who lifted the crown in 2003/04.

Drogba is currently two behind Rooney in the Premier League goal scoring charts, and while confusion surrounds the length of time Rooney will be missing, lump on the African to finish as this seasons leading marksmen at 5/4 with Bet 365

By Mikey Mumford

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