Football betting tips: Premier League
2pts Micky van de Ven 2+ tackles at 5/4 (Sky Bet)
Back our suggested BuildABet @ 23/1
Micky van de Ven 2+ tackles
Tottenham 5+ corners
Dejan Kulusevski 1+ shots on target
Rodrigo Bentancur to win 2+ fouls
Both saw success in the FA Cup last weekend, although that was expected given the opposition.
Attention returns to the Premier League and what feels like a bit of a must-win game for the hosts if they are to close the gap on the top four. Victory for Tottenham moves them 11 points clear of Sunday's opponents.
Spurs have navigated their injury crisis well. Just six points separates them and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table - they could have so easily dropped off into United's area of the standings.
They now welcome back what looks like their starting back line too, with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero set for spots in defence. It's a difficult game to call, but there may be some value in Spurs' price for victory.
Availability issues for the hosts makes their own back line vulnerable, and Tottenham could capitalise with their intent on attack.
A timely return
VAN DE VEN's return to the line-up couldn't have come at a better time, with Ben Davies picking up a hamstring injury in that Cup win over Burnley.
The Dutchman was on the bench for that game, and an extra week of training puts him in a good spot for a start at Old Trafford.
You can get 5/4 on him completing 2+ TACKLES. Appealing value when we consider what we saw from him prior to his spell on the sidelines.
His front foot style approach when out of possession led to van de Ven having two or more successful tackles in seven of his 11 Premier League outings.
That's hardly a surprise when he averaged 1.4 tackles per Bundesliga game with Wolfsburg last season. He'll be asked to cover for Destiny Udogie in the left-back role at times when he has driven forward.
A central role
Availability issues for Ange Postecoglou means that he's been playing DEJAN KULUSEVSKI in a more central role.
Adding him for 1+ SHOTS ON TARGET is an attractive option for a multiple considering his returns in recent games.
He contributed a goal in the recent win at Nottingham Forest while also seeing two shots against Newcastle. Games against Brighton and Everton also delivered a shot on target in each.
Kulusevski had three shots in the cup win over Burnley, although it's worth noting he was playing out wide again in that contest.
Count the corners
Game state is a factor when it comes to corners betting and we should exercise caution when using catch-all averages for them, unlike some other metrics.
Spurs' attacking mindset hasn't led to as many as we would have perhaps expected on the road, but the likely line-up of seeing two quicker dribblers on the flanks plays into the potential.
Taking 5+ TOTTENHAM CORNERS is a low enough line for me to be interested.
Kulusevski's preference to cut inside is eliminated slightly with him being more central. Timo Werner - in line for a debut - prefers to be on the left so he can drift inside but his pace means it doesn't feel as drastic to the potential for this compared with others.
The Bentancur battle
Another player welcomed back by Tottenham recently has been RODRIGO BENTANCUR, and he'll be lining up in central midfield again.
You can get a good price on him TO WIN 2+ FOULS, which is worth consideration when we factor in his returns in limited appearances this season.
He was fouled twice despite being a second-half substitute in the 4-1 home loss to Chelsea, before seeing one in just 32 minutes of the Boxing Day defeat to Aston Villa.
Yves Bissouma - who won't feature here - averages 1.6 fouled per game. Bentancur could be in a similar role given the likelihood of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg standing alongside him.
Back to the start...
Oh, as we're talking about that market, just a note for VAN DE VEN TO WIN 1+ FOULS if you're after a bigger-priced multiple.
His style of play probably makes him an over-priced player in this market. He's a centre-back yes but one with aggression both in and out of possession.
I'm pleased that the statistics back this up. He was fouled three times in the away win at Crystal Palace, with one coming in five other league games this season.
Team news
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will definitely be without Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Mason Mount for this game, with a number of other players also injury doubts.
Antony, Amad Diallo, Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw are the main concerns. Sofyan Amrabat is participating at AFCON.
One player who hasn't joined up with his national team yet is goalkeeper Andre Onana. He is set to start here.
Tottenham midfield pair Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr are also at the tournament. Son Heung-min is with South Korea at the Asia Cup.
Romero and Van de Ven should return to the Spurs back line, while new signing Werner could start given the absences of Lo Celso and James Maddison.
Davies is out and Eric Dier has joined Bayern Munich. Ivan Perisic, Manor Solomon and young forward Alejo Véliz are others sidelined for the long term.
Predicted line-ups
Manchester United XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Evans, Dalot; Mainoo, McTominay; Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho; Højlund.
Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Højbjerg; Johnson, Kulusevski, Werner; Richarlison.
Match facts
- Tottenham are looking to complete their first league double over Manchester United since the 1989-90 campaign, having won 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the reverse fixture in August.
- No team has won more home games against an opponent in Premier League history than Manchester United’s 24 against Tottenham (level with Arsenal against Everton).
- Manchester United have lost nine of their 20 Premier League games this season, as many defeats as they suffered in the whole of last season. There have been just four Premier League campaigns where they’ve lost 10+ games (2013-14, 2015-16, 2018-19 and 2021-22), with 2015-16 the only one of those where they didn’t change their manager during the season.
- Tottenham have scored in each of their last 32 Premier League games, the longest ongoing run of any side in the competition. It is Spurs’ joint-longest scoring run in their league history, also scoring in 32 in a row from April to December 1949 and February to November 1962.
- Tottenham have conceded 29 Premier League goals this season with an xG against figure of 35.6, the best difference between expected goals and actual goals conceded (-6.6). At the other end, only Manchester City (7.6) have overperformed their xG more than Spurs this season (6.5 – 42 goals from 35.5 xG).
- Following their 2-0 win in the reverse fixture in August, Ange Postecoglou could become the first ever Tottenham Hotspur manager to win both of his first two games against Manchester United with the club in all competitions.
- Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has created 54 chances in the Premier League this season, more than any other player coming into this round of matches. His rate of 2.84 chances created per 90 minutes is his second best in any of his five Premier League campaigns, but his average of a goal or assist every 285 minutes this term is his worst.
- Tottenham’s Richarlison has scored five goals in his last five Premier League games, as many as his previous 45 appearances in the competition beforehand. The Brazilian, however, only has one goal in 10 league appearances against Manchester United, scoring for Everton in April 2019.
Odds correct at 1610 GMT (11/01/23)
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