Fresh from a profitable international break, Joe Rindl returns with a best bet as out-of-form Manchester United travel to struggling Watford.
Football betting tips: Premier League
1pt Manchester United to win to nil at 9/5 (BetVictor)
Which Manchester United side will emerge the other side of the international break?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team's troubles have been well-reported. Liverpool’s 5-0 thrashing of the Red Devils at Old Trafford at the end of October made it front-page news.
United briefly stopped the rot with a win at Tottenham, only to be outclassed again at home to rivals Manchester City last time out.
United barely threatened a comfortable City team at any point in the game, recording a total of 0.84 expected goals for (xGF) despite trailing early, and taking just two shots totalling 0.06 xG after falling two goals down — an unacceptable effort in the circumstances.
Their supporters have had a fortnight to stew that match over. Solskjaer, under immense pressure, is still at the helm. What plan have he and his coaching staff conjured up during the 14 days away?
United desperately need a positive response.
Kick-off time: 15:00 GMT, Saturday
Watford 11/2 | Draw 7/2 | Man Utd 4/9
Watford away at three o’clock on Saturday is, on paper at least, a dream fixture for the visitors.
Claudio Ranieri’s side have lost seven of their 11 league fixtures and sit just two points above the drop zone.
They may have beaten United at home the last time they were in the Premier League, but this term they’ve struggled in front of their own fans, picking up just one point from their last four at Vicarage Road.
The Hornets are coming into this fixture off the back of successive 1-0 defeats to Southampton and Arsenal. With every passing match it seems as if their stunning 5-2 win at Everton in Ranieri’s second match at the helm last month was a one off.
Take out that 5-2 win and Watford have managed just seven goals from 10 Premier League games. Only bottom club Norwich have struggled more to find the net.
Manchester United are poor, but they should easily have enough individual quality to overcome Watford.
MAN UTD TO WIN TO NIL at 9/5 with BetVictor is the play I’ll be backing on Saturday.
Watford have been shut out completely in four of their past five, with three of those matches seeing their xG total sitting below 0.5.
Manchester United aren’t a team famed for their defensive security. Their clean sheet against Tottenham in their last away game was their first since beating Wolves 1-0 at Molineaux in August.
But they do have a far stronger record against sides in the bottom six. Their matches against Newcastle and Leeds this year for example saw neither opponent able to rack up an xG of 0.8 or greater.
United’s recent record against the Hornets is also very good. The Red Devils have won five of their last six encounters with Watford and have kept clean sheets in three of those victories.
They’ve been poor in recent months, but expect Manchester United’s defence to step up against one of the league’s most woeful attacks.
Watford v Man Utd best bets and score prediction
- 1pt Manchester United to win to nil at 9/5 (BetVictor)
Score prediction: Watford 0-2 Manchester United (Sky Bet odds: 13/2)
Odds correct at 1645 BST (18/11/21)
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