Manchester United host Chelsea in Wednesday's headline fixture. Tom Carnduff makes his Cheat Sheet selections for the contest.
Tom Carnduff (@TomCarnduff) has enjoyed winners at 5/1 and at 13/8 in recent Cheat Sheet columns. Attention turns to Wednesday's clash between Manchester United and Chelsea.
Football betting tips: Premier League
2pts Chelsea to score 2+ goals at 11/10 (Betfred)
Back our suggested BuildABet @ 13/2
Chelsea to score 2+ goals
Enzo Fernandez 1+ shots on target
Bruno Fernandes 1+ shots on target
Harry Maguire to commit 1+ fouls
Manchester United may sit 7th in the Premier League table, but they've hit flat-track bully territory this season.
Five games against those in the top-half have ended in defeat, with eight of the nine against teams 11th or lower returned maximum points. Against other good sides, they have struggled.
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Add in a Champions League campaign that has them on the verge of elimination - four points from five games and bottom of Group A - and serious questions must be asked of Erik ten Hag, who has seemingly avoided this given anger directed towards those at boardroom level.
Chelsea's mixed form includes win over Brighton and Tottenham and a 4-4 thriller with Manchester City, but they have been beaten by both Brentford and Newcastle. This is a meeting of an underperforming duo desperate for victory.
Blues can continue strong attacking form
Despite Chelsea's obvious issues this season, I don't think chance creation has been one of them.
Questions remain about Nicolas Jackson's ability to deliver an impact - even with a hat-trick this season - but Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling have been carrying a threat.
The Blues did score four in games against Manchester City and Tottenham, while also hitting three past Brighton and two against Arsenal. It's not simply been a case of doing the majority of their scoring against those at the bottom.
With that in mind, taking CHELSEA TO SCORE 2+ GOALS provides appeal at 11/10.
In what could be a case of a squad adjusting to Mauricio Pochettino's style as time has progressed, they scored seven across their first seven fixtures and 18 in the seven that have followed.
Four of the five against top half sides have also seen United concede at least twice - Chelsea have all the potential to add to that.
Fernandez(*s) fancied
Enzo Fernandez has benefitted from being allowed to attack more in this system.
It's a surprise to see that the game against Brighton was the first time he's scored this season when we consider the attacking numbers.
Fernandez - who is the penalty taker when Palmer isn't on the pitch - has posted at least one shot in every Premier League game so far.
Adding FERNANDEZ 1+ SHOTS ON TARGET to a multiple is a nice value bumper.
His ten efforts on target is the second-highest in this Chelsea side, with two other shots hitting the post.
On the Manchester United side of things, we'll also have BRUNO FERNANDES 1+ SHOTS ON TARGET.
Six of his seven Premier League home games this season have delivered at least two shots, with his 15 on target in total the highest in the United squad.
Only Marcus Rashford (37) can beat his total of 36 shots - factor in a potential spot kick too.
Make the most of Maguire
HARRY MAGUIRE committed a total of five fouls in United's defeat at Newcastle, making 1+ FOULS a nice addition for our Wednesday multiple.
It makes it three league games in a row where he's returned at least one foul, with three coming in the home win over Luton.
Having previously been out of the picture at the club, Maguire is starting every game. It's worth making the most of his time in the first team when it comes to this market.
Disasi drives forward?
This one is a huge price but one I am intrigued by.
AXEL DISASI lined up on the right side of defence on Sunday and I wonder if he'll be deployed in the same role given availability issues.
He did drive forward as required, making the 10/1 price on 1+ OFFSIDES a potential addition to a massive-priced multiple.
Even if he's not at right-back, he has been caught offside in two separate games this season. It's the fact he may be driving forward that opens up to the potential of a mistimed run.
Team news
Manchester United remain without a few first team players for Wednesday's game.
Caesmiro, Amad Diallo, Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez are all out through injury, while Jadon Sancho remains unavailable for selection. Mason Mount is a doubt.
For Chelsea, they remain without the injured Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Wesley Fofana, while Conor Gallagher serves a suspension for his red card at the weekend.
Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku are closing in on returns from long-term injuries.
Predicted line-ups
Manchester United XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Shaw, Dalot; McTominay, Mainoo; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford, Højlund.
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Badiashile, Colwill; Caicedo, Fernandez; Sterling, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson.
Match facts
- Manchester United have lost three of their last five Premier League home games (W2), having won eight in a row at Old Trafford before that. The Red Devils have failed to score before half-time in six of their seven home league games so far this term.
- Chelsea have won three of their last four Premier League away games (L1), more than they had in their previous 16 (W2 D5 L9). However, they’re winless in seven on the road against sides to finish in the top four the previous season (D3 L4), including a 4-1 defeat to Newcastle last time out.
- Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has won four of his last seven Premier League games against Manchester United (L3), having been winless in his first six beforehand (D3 L3). He’s won just one of his seven games at Old Trafford in the competition (D1 L5), though that was his last such visit in August 2018 (3-0).
- Marcus Rashford scored 20 goals in 30 home games in all competitions for Man Utd last season, with only Erling Haaland netting more home goals among Premier League players (35). This season, Rashford has 0 goals in 10 appearances at Old Trafford so far.
- Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling has either scored (2) or assisted (1) a goal in each of his last three Premier League away games, last doing so in four in a row between July-October 2020. However, Manchester United are the side Raheem Sterling has faced most often in his senior career (all competitions) without ever scoring (24 games).
Odds correct at 1610 GMT (04/12/23)
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