Chelsea vs Manchester United betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
Football betting tips: Premier League
0.5pt Marc Cucurella to score anytime at 25/1 (Sky Bet)
After his side's 2-2 draw with Burnley, a fixture Chelsea were 3/10 on to win, Mauricio Pochettino said his side lacked “heart and head”.
Despite the Blues' owners deep pockets, these are two things that have eluded Todd Boehly whilst cohesion and consistency have eluded Pochettino on the pitch.
Only 11 victories in 28 games in the Premier League leaves Chelsea eight points off Thursday’s opponents as the chance of European football next term becomes increasingly slim.
Manchester United will still be harbouring hopes of Champions League football. They sit nine points behind Tottenham with a game in hand but as their 16/1 odds reflect, their chances are slim.
What are the best bets?
MARC CUCURELLA has seven league goals to his name in a career spanning over 200 games. That is a goals per 90 average of 0.04 which explains why he is 25/1 to find the net on Thursday.
The floppy haired fullback scored recently in Chelsea’s FA Cup quarter final game with Leicester, his first in Chelsea colours but his attacking output suggests he has been unfortunate not to break his Premier League duck.
In 11 top flight appearances, he has hit the target four times, squandered two ‘big chances’ (xG greater than 0.30) and generated an xG of 0.95.
Cucurella may just be a poor finisher but I am willing to roll the dice on him TO SCORE ANYTIME against Manchester United.
BuildABet @ 110/1
- Over 3.5 goals
- Marc Cucueralla to score anytime
- Alejandro Garnacho to score anytime
CLICK HERE to back with Sky Bet
Goals are clearly expected at Stamford Bridge with over 2.5 and both teams to score both priced at 4/11. It is with good reason too as Chelsea’s last five games have seen 24 goals and Man Utd’s have averaged 3.20. The Red Devils have also shipped the third most shots in the division (17.2 per game) conceding 106 in their last four games alone.
Teams news
Ben Chilwell was absent at the weekend and isn’t expected to be available here so Marc Cucurella should continue at left back.
Malo Gusto picked up a hamstring injury against Burnley and will be assessed ahead of kick-off on Thursday. Axel Disasi will move to right back in his absence with Thiago Silva coming into the heart of defence.
Manchester United also have injuries in defence as both Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane were forced off against Brentford game at the weekend, while Lisandro Martinez suffered a calf strain and will be out for another stretch. Jonny Evans is also nursing an injury, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are also unavailable on Thursday.
Teenager Willy Kambwala will likely be asked to step in at centre-back due to the defensive shortages alongside Harry Maguire, while Mason Mount will be fighting for a starting place against his former club after netting at Brentford.
Predicted line-ups
Chelsea: Petrovic; Disasi, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling; Jackson
Manchester United: Onana; Dalot, Maguire, Kambwala, Wan-Bissaka; Mainoo, McTominay; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Match facts
- Chelsea are winless in their last 12 Premier League games against Manchester United (D7 L5), their longest ever run without a league victory against the Red Devils.
- Manchester United are looking to complete the Premier League double over Chelsea for just the second time, previously doing so in the 2019-20 campaign.
- Manchester United are looking to win three consecutive league games against Chelsea for the first time since September 1965. They’re unbeaten in their last five league visits to Stamford Bridge, though four of these have ended level (W1).
- Manchester United have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games against London sides (D3 L5), losing four of their last six. They’ve lost three of their five such visits this season, last losing more in a single top-flight campaign in 1989-90 (4).
- Chelsea are winless in their last six Premier League games in April (D2 L4), since beating West Ham 1-0 in 2022. At home, they’ve won just one of their last 10 in April (D3 L6), losing five of the last seven at Stamford Bridge.
- Manchester United have won more games (80) and have a higher win percentage (59.7%) in the month of April than any other side in Premier League history. However, they’ve won just one of their last seven away games in the month (D2 L4), beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 last year.
- Chelsea have won six of their eight evening kick-offs (7pm or later) in the Premier League this season (L2), having failed to win any of their nine evening games in the competition last term (D3 L6).
- Chelsea have both scored and conceded in 19 different Premier League games this season, last doing so more often in 2019-20 (22). They’ve done so in each of their last seven league matches, their longest such run since a run of nine between January and April 2017.
- Cole Palmer scored Chelsea’s goal in their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the reverse fixture. The last Blues player to score home and away against Man Utd in the same Premier League campaign was Juan Mata (2012-13), while the last English player to do so was Frank Lampard (2010-11).
- Cole Palmer has been involved in 21 Premier League goals for Chelsea this season, scoring 13 and assisting eight. Only Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink (32 in 2000-01) and Diego Costa (23 in 2014-15) have been involved in more in their debut campaign for the Blues.
Odds correct at 1210 BST (03/04/24)
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