Manchester City vs. Manchester United and Pick to Win
Date:Saturday, December 10th, 2017
Where: English Premier League Old Trafford – Manchester, UK
by Keith, Professional Soccer/Football Handicapper, Predictem
Match Odds: Manchester City 13/10, Manchester United 21/10, Draw 12/5
Moneyline: Manchester City +130, Manchester United +210, Draw +240
Over/Under Best Market: UNDER 2.5 5/4 +120
This edition of the Manchester Derby could be one of the 2017/18 campaigns biggest games and is undoubtedly a fixture of focus across the world. The battle features two Premier League teams embroiled in a cross-city grudge, Manchester United and Manchester City. The two teams sit atop the table in the current batch of Premier League standings. This is a mid-season collision that have more implications than simply metropolitan bragging rights. The Red side will host the Powder Blue one when the Cityzens travel to Old Trafford. City enters ton of momentum. If they emerge victorious they have an enormous lead and an inside path to the EPL title. Manchester City has laid waste to everything it has come across regardless of league or competition. The Powder Blues have won all their outings in a sample of their last six results. The most recent fixture Manchester City was involved in was against Huddersfield Town where the final score was 2-1 Manchester City. United also sports a two-game winning streak after earning a victory against Watford in a 4-2 final. The Derby has been a huge subject of conversation within the Greater Manchester Area as Mancunians are excited to see the crown potentially return north in 2018.
The managers of both teams know each other well. Skippers Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have an intense rivalry that has been documented back to their days in Spain and now that rivalry has made its way to Cottonopolis. The two sides have two of the best teams on paper in the world. The attacking personnel on each side is enough for this be a spectacle and a half. Manchester City features the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero as forwards. Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba, and Anthony Martial are some of the featured talent on the Red Devils. However, we are truly just scratching the surface of both parties.
Manchester City could have easily been caught looking ahead to their collision with Manchester United as they were up against a team that defeated United outright earlier this season, Huddersfield Town. No such concessions were granted by the team from Clayton. The fact remain that City has a plethora of tools in their chest defensively and they have been relishing the opportunity to square off with their cross-city rivals to show how improved their backline truly is. For United, though there is plenty of football left to played the feeling of this contest is a must-draw as United still have to visit City later this campaign. Points are hard to come by at the Etihad just as they are at Old Trafford in Stretford.
If Manchester United were conservative and try to get out of here with a draw. However, given the spirit of the home crowd towards their cross-city rivals and the competitive nature of Mourinho the Reds will likely go for the win here. However, the back line of City will make that extremely difficult even if the Reds have some excellent pace on the wings. Chances are City will be looking to draw and United will be satisfied in gaining a point and not losing three in the process. Though the offense is expected to dominate this contest, we are going to take a contrarian approach and suggest that either side will not score more than once in what will be a lackluster turn of events for a blockbuster affair. Thus, we are calling for the Draw in this contest. As a result, we recommend staying off the Over/Under in this market. However, if any were to fancy it, the Under 2.5 offers great value at +120. All in all, the stake is two units to net a potential of 3.6.
Manchester City Recent Form
W Huddersfield Town 2-1
W Feyenoord 1-0
W Leicester City 2-0
W Arsenal 3-1
W Napoli 4-2
Manchester United Recent Form
W Watford 4-2
W Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0
L Basel 0-1
W Newcastle United 4-1
L Chelsea 0-1
Keith’s Prediction for the Game: DRAW 24/10 (+240) and UNDER 2.5 5/4 (+120)
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