Premier League betting tips 30/01/2009

Arsenal vs Man Utd betting preview

This mouth watering top of the table clash has rarely had so such significance in recent seasons. Both sides will be desperate to really outline their title credentials with a victory on Sunday that could tip the balance in their favour. Taking Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Stoke out of the equation, The Gunners have been on a wonderful league run since that demoralising home defeat to rival title contenders Chelsea at the back end of November, unbeaten in the league and go into the match as favourites at around the 11/8 mark.

United have also been on a solid league run and despite their critics this year, and a lack of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo, may go into the game top of the league, and as usual will look to improve in the latter stages of the season for a real surge for the title. Odds on a United win are currently at about 15/8 which look like generous odds for the punter considering Arsenal’s injury worries and lack of firepower up front with Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner out, and Eduardo, Theo Walcott and Carlos Vela severely lacking in form.

The draw can be found with odds of about 9/4 and it’s obviously easy to make a case for this outcome. Both sides will be desperate not to lose and this could result in a tactical battle of attrition that results in both sides cancelling each other out.

Looking into some of the other markets and Wayne Rooney is rightly market favourite to score first after this dazzling four goal haul last time out against Hull. Bendtner, who may not even be fit enough for the bench, is Arsenal’s favourite to grab the first goal. Skybet offer intriguing odds of 8/1 that Rooney and Cesc Fabregas – the two form players in the league right now – both get on the scoresheet and this looks an excellent bet as both players have a history of getting on the mark in this fixture.

With an overall look at this game logic would have to go for the draw, Arsenal would settle for this with the run of fixtures they have (Liverpool at home followed by Chelsea away) and as the away team United will settle for a point to take back to Manchester. The outstanding bet for this fixture though would have to be Skybet’s 8/1 offer that Fabregas and Rooney will score and it would be hard to find better value than this in any fixture this weekend.

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