Their game at Old Trafford in August was a very dull 0-0. We think this one will be very different indeed, and we intend to make some money too.
All the way back on August 29, David Moyes took charge of his first home competitive game as Manchester United boss at Old Trafford, where Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea’s were the visitors. The game was one everyone had looked forward to and we were all very badly let down.
The two teams combined for just seven efforts on target and the game ended 0-0, the first blank scoreline at Old Trafford in 77 Premier League games. Since then United have gone on to lose four league games at home, while Chelsea have improved with every game, and they now sit in third, nine points clear of the Red Devils, who are in seventh.
In that first clash, Mourinho deployed a safety first tactic and never wavered from it, showing the utmost respect to United. Now, with United seemingly fragile, he will surely go for the jugular at Stamford Bridge. The bookies think so too, with Chelsea odds on, 8/11, to win. United are 4/1 for the upset, one of the longest odds we can remember for United in any fixture since Alex Ferguson retired.
The draw, always tempting when big teams face off, is 11/4, but we think both sides will be gung ho here. A defeat for Moyes will see his side slip further from the top four teams and a win at Stamford Bridge would be a huge statement that United are still a team to be reckoned with. A 1-0 away win, at 12/1, may be worth a punt if you are a United fan.
As we said above, we reckon Chelsea will go for it too. Jose has far more weapons at his disposal and whatever way he sets up, be it Eto’o or Torres in front of a trio of Oscar, Hazard and Lampard/Willian, the Blues look to be full of goals. They are the lowest scorers of the top four (just 40 in 21 games, City have 59) so total goals under 2.5 at 5/6 looks decent value.
It looks even better when you factor in that United will probably start without RVP or Rooney. United to score under 1.5 goals is a skimpy 1/4, but it looks the most likely outcome.
If any player is to get on the scoresheet for the visitors it will probably be Danny Welbeck, and at 9/1 he is a good price for first goalscorer. Eden Hazard, at 8/1, may be even better value though, as the Belgian is in sensational form right now. And, speaking of Belgians, Adnan Januzaj, who has a great chance of playing some part in the game, is 12/1 to get the first goal.
A look at the history books suggest that this has to be a home win. Mourinho has never lost to David Moyes in the Premier League (four wins and three draws) and, of course, he has never lost a league game at Stamford Bridge either. If, and it is a big if, both managers go for the safety first option again, another 0-0 at 10/1 may look a very smart bet come 6 o’clock but we expect goals.
Not a lot of goals though. Chelsea to win and under 2.5 goals in the game looks the smartest bet of all and at 3/1, the price isn’t too shabby either. That’s our bet of the game.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
