Odds for the game below
Preview
ALBION welcome Manchester United to The Hawthorns on Monday 20th October where it’s over 20 years since the Baggies registered a home win over the Red Devils.
United won this fixture 3-0 when the wheels were falling off last season but the Baggies had shown what they were capable of when Saido Berahino scored the winner in the 2-1 victory at Old Trafford earlier in the campaign.
Who Will Win?
Both sides have reason to be confident for Monday’s game having gone into the break on the back of some improved performances. The Baggies had won three on the bounce before going to Anfield where they made Liverpool work hard for their 2-1 victory.
United have not enjoyed the best of starts but back-to-back home wins against West Ham United and Everton moved Luis Van Gaal’s men up to 4th in the table and on course for a Champions League slot. The Red Devils have only picked up two points from three away games so far in this campaign and the balance of form is quite close at this early stage of the season.
The head-to-head record favours the visitors who have won seven and drawn one of the last eight meetings at The Hawthorns which is reflected in the match betting odds, Stan James go 4/5 United , Albion are 4/1 on Betfair with the draw 3/1 on bet365.
Will There Be Goals?
It will be a major surprise if this match up finished goal less. The last time the sides played a 0-0 draw was at Old Trafford in 1983 and we couldn’t find one on record for a Baggies home fixture. United’s last six visits have provided at least 3 goals per game and who could forget the fantastic fight back to earn a 5-5 draw two seasons ago.
Three is the magic number on the Total Goals Exact market which has come good four times in the last six meetings here and can be backed at 16/5 with bwin.
bet365 is offering 7/10 Over 2.5 and BetVictor 5/4 Under 2.5 while Ladbrokes go 1/2 Under 3.5 with BetVictor offering 15/8 Over 3.5.
Who Will Score?
Manchester United joint-top scorer Wayne Rooney is serving a three-match ban but his team mates, Radamael Falcao, Robin Van Persie and Angel Di Maria lead the goalscorer betting.
Saido Berahino is the top scoring English player in the Premier League at the moment with five goals. The youngster carried his form onto the International stage with a goal and an assist for the Under 21s against Croatia last Friday and looks to be the man to follow until his luck runs out. Sky Bet go 12/5 for the 20-year-old to score any time and 7/1 to score the first goal.
Value Tip
Albion’s bid to break to a 20 year hoodoo could rest on how Joleon Lescott can marshal the defence against the talents of United’s brilliant strike force. But the visitors are vulnerable at the back as Leicester showed in 20 minutes of shock and awe recently.
We’re playing a long shot and going for a 2-2 correct score which looks over-priced at 16/1 on bet365 at the time of writing.