Football betting tips: Super Sunday
2pts Arsenal to win at 3/4 (General)
1.5pt Arsenal to win and over 1.5 goals at 13/10 (BetVictor)
1pt Martin Odegaard to score anytime at 4/1 (Sky Bet)
1pt Martin Odegaard to provide 1+ assists at 11/2 (Betway)
BuildABet @ 16/1
- Arsenal to win
- Odegaard to score anytime
- Odegaard 1+ assists
The level of straw clutching that took place after Thursday night's Europa League draw away to a mid-table La Liga team says a lot about just how far Manchester United have fallen, and just how bad their season has been.
There were certainly positives to take from the 1-1 secured in San Sebastien, with United following an utterly forgettable first half by impressing for the opening 25 minutes of the second, taking a deserved lead only for a harsh penalty decision to hand Real Sociedad both a route back into the game and some much-needed momentum.
It leaves that round-of-16 tie, United's only feasible route into European competition next term, neatly poised, calling into question just how much of a priority Sunday's visit of Arsenal can really be for Ruben Amorim as he manages an injury-hit squad.
A full XI of first-team players were missing in midweek, and while there is a hope Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte may be back available, that would hardly be the game-changing news that breathes life into their prospects of giving the Gunners a run for their money at Old Trafford.
Which is why, dull as it may be, we really ought to be keeping this one simple.
What are the best bets?
ARSENAL TO WIN at 3/4 is advised, with ARSENAL TO WIN AND OVER 1.5 GOALS also taken at 13/10 for those looking for a slightly bigger price.
With so much being made of Mikel Arteta's lack of forward options, winning 7-1 at PSV with a makeshift centre-forward flanked by a 17-year-old rookie and a 30-year-old understudy was some riposte.
The Gunners have had two days' more recovery than United and are safe in the knowledge that next week's second leg is a complete dead rubber, handing them even greater advantage than they already had by simply being the far superior team.
Odegaard the orchestrator
Not to admonish the impact of unlikely attacking trio Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard, but so much of what makes Arsenal tick falls on the shoulders of MARTIN ODEGAARD.
Having struggled to hit his usual heights for much of this term, perhaps disrupted by early-season injury struggles, the Gunners captain was at the centre of everything in Eindhoven, scoring two goals and creating another, single-handedly filling much of the void left by Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli's continued absence.
The 11/2 about him to PROVIDE 1+ ASSISTS is of serious interest, with the midfielder's 7.91 expected assists (xA) in all competitions only yielding six goals thus far, but proof that he continues to create chances for his team-mates.
- CLICK HERE to back Odegaard to score anytime with Sky Bet
- CLICK HERE to back Odegaard 1+ assists with Sky Bet
We should also take him at 4/1 TO SCORE ANYTIME given the extra attacking responsibility he has been given in Arsenal's striker-less system, a price that looks especially good with him taking on penalty duties while Saka is sidelined.
Team news
United hope to have both Maguire and Ugarte back available after they missed the trip to Sociedad, with Chido Obi also available again.
However they're now without the suspended Patrick Dorgu who joins Altay Bayindir, Amad Diallo, Jonny Evans, Kobbie Mainoo, Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount and Luke Shaw on the sidelines.
Saka, Jesus, Havertz and Martinelli all remain out for Arsenal, as well as defensive duo and Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White.
The main selection decision for Mikel Arteta is likely to be choosing between Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ricardo Calafiori at left-back.
Predicted line-ups
Man Utd: Onana; De Ligt, Maguire, Yoro; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dalot; Garnacho, Zirkzee; Hojlund.
Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Partey, Odegaard; Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard.
Match facts
- Manchester United have lost their last four Premier League games against Arsenal, their longest losing run against the Gunners in their league history.
- Arsenal won this exact fixture 1-0 last season – they haven’t won consecutive away league games against Manchester United since February 1979.
- Arsenal have scored in each of their last 10 Premier League away games against Manchester United (13 goals), having only managed to score in 10 of their first 22 visits to Old Trafford in the competition (11 goals).
- Manchester United have won 99 of their meetings with Arsenal in all competitions (D54 L90) – it’s the Gunners’ most defeats against an opponent, while the Red Devils have only beaten Aston Villa more (106).
- Manchester United came from behind to beat Ipswich 3-2 last time out. They’re yet to win consecutive league games this season, with this their longest wait for back-to-back league victories since 1968-69 (games 32 and 33).
- Arsenal have failed to score in their last two Premier League games, amassing just three shots on target across these games. The Gunners last failed to score in three consecutive league games in August 2021, while they last did so while in the top two of the table for each match in November 2000.
- Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has won seven of his 10 Premier League games against Manchester United (D1 L2), with his first ever victory for the Gunners coming against them (2-0 in January 2020). Of all managers to face the Red Devils at least five times in the competition, Arteta has the highest win rate (70%).
- This will be Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s 200th Premier League game in charge. He’s won 118 of his first 199, already the fifth most victories of any manager in their first 200 in the competition (Pep Guardiola 146, José Mourinho 137, Jürgen Klopp 127, Alex Ferguson 122).
- Since the weekend of Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge of Manchester United after the November international break, only Leicester City (13) have conceded the opening goal in more different Premier League games than the Red Devils (12).
- Leandro Trossard scored Arsenal’s winner against Man Utd in this exact fixture last season – the only Gunners players to score a Premier League goal at Old Trafford in consecutive campaigns are Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2019-20, 2020-21) and Emmanuel Adebayor (2006-07, 2007-08).
Odds correct at 1100 GMT (7/3/25)
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