Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur and Pick to Win
Date:Wednesday, January 31st, 2018
Where: English Premier League The Lane Tottenham, Greater London, UK
by Keith, Professional Soccer/Football Handicapper, Predictem
Match Odds: Manchester United 12/5, Tottenham 5/4, Draw 23/10
Moneyline: Manchester United +240, Tottenham +125, Draw +230
Over/Under Best Market: OVER 2.5 1/1 (+100/EVENS)
The English Premier League will carry on with another scintillating match-up of two teams positioned within two of the top five positions on the table, when London and Manchester square off yet again in a battle of the North versus the South. This time the combatants will be the Red Devils of Manchester United and the Spurs of Tottenham Hotspur. The fixture will take place in North London when United travel down to The Lane on Wednesday, January 31st, 2018.
With Manchester City running away with the Premier League crown as they sit atop the league table, this game will have plenty of importance for both teams as they vie for European competition in the Champions League. United have gotten off to the start they wanted in 2018. The Reds have not lost a game yet in the new year and have won four straight. Whilst doing so, Manchester United have produced four clean sheets which says a lot about the improvements that skipper Jose Mourinho has made to the defensive operations of this club. Given the offensive firepower acquired by Man U in the transfer window, the defense has done good job to keep the pressure off the offense and allow them to play their game. The Red Devils have outscored opponents 8-0 in the new year, so far. Sadly, cross-city nemesis Manchester City sit twelve points clear of United with the lead. Manchester United remains in second and is the defending Europa League Champion.
For the Spurs, this squad is also in good form at the moment. The Spurs remain unbeaten in 2018 like their counterparts. However, the Spurs produced two draws as opposed to going 4-0-0 like United. The Spurs come in off a 1-1 draw against Southampton. The Spurs are a tough team to beat on their own pitch and will look to harness some home cooking against their opponents. Very simply, Tottenham play at a different level at The Lane. This is a narrative that the Spurs faithful and the personnel of this football club pride themselves on. Nevertheless, when the two last met in Manchester the Red Devils edged out the Spurs 1-0. This affair took place in October of 2017.
Generally speaking when the odds of a Manchester United victory outright and a draw are priced at one in the same that tells us where the market is leaning. Spurs are in prime position here to snag three points. Usually, we would see Tottenham laying a price for takers that want to step in and invest. However, given the quality of the opposition Tottenham is instead priced with enhanced odds at home and we have to like that position. Many believe that the Red Devils are positioned here to storm into The Lane and win big. Much of this can be attested to the stock on United being through the roof with their recent spate of victories. This narrative is also coupled with the notion of all the firepower that Manchester United bodes in its roster. We appreciate the fact that the attack of Pogba and Lukaku can be nothing short of a nightmare to defend even for a traditionally defensive team such as Tottenham. Nevertheless, home pitch in Tottenhams case does have its advantages. Even so, both outfits have plenty of tools in the arsenal and can readily score in buckets if they both get going. So, the Spurs have multiple ways to approach this game. Nevertheless, given the prospect of this game becoming an offensive affair, the Over 2.5 has plenty of equity at evens. To complement this, we will go ahead and call for Tottenham outright in this spot. The price simply dictates the play and we cannot pass on the Spurs at home at an above-evens price. All in all, we stand to risk two units to gather 2.25 if successful on both wagers.
Manchester United Recent Form
W Burnley 1-0
W Stoke City 3-0
W Derby County 2-0
W Everton 2-0
D Southampton 0-0
Tottenham Hotspur Recent Form
D Southampton 1-1
W Everton 4-0
D West Ham United 1-1
W Swansea City 2-0
W Southampton 5-2
Keith’s Prediction for the Game: TOTTENHAM 5/4 (+125) and OVER 2.5 (EVENS) +100
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