English Premier
2012-04-30 - Manchester City vs Manchester United
A Sports Betting Pick by Addicted
Football : English : Premier League
Monday, April 30th, 2012, 8:00PM GMT
PREVIEW
This has suddenly become the biggest derby game for Manchester United and their noisy neighbours, who could put themselves back in the driving seat with a win. If City get past United, they would be miles ahead on goal difference, and will then have to contend with Newcastle and QPR, teams that may be desperate for points themselves, but who got hammered this weekend, proving it can be done. United would have Swansea and Sunderland.
Manchester City have already walloped Manchester United this term, and memories of that 6-1 belting at Old Trafford will not have faded at all. The hosts today have Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero forming a deadly combination, and stats show they have scored 11 between them in the 304 minutes they have spent on the pitch together! Tevez is averaging a goal every 55 minutes and in the last 3 games for Manchester City he has scored 4, while Aguero has helped himself to 5. And then there is Mario Balotelli.
Manchester United have been priced very high here to record a win and that is because of the beating they took earlier, along with the recent form, which saw them lose away to Wigan and then get pegged back from a sure win by Everton. But does that really mean they get turned over here? This is a team that has dealt with a lot of title run-ins and almost always come out on top.
Let's not forget Manchester City's win at Old Trafford was sandwiched by 2 wins for Manchester United over their rivals. At the start of the season United roared back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in the Charity Shield, but more importantly, they came to this stadium and beat City in the FA Cup, again, 3-2. It's not like City were taking it easy, yet they let in 3 and lost. You can point at their near perfect home record all you want, but they have been beaten here this season.
Another funny stat, despite City's dominance here, scoring 51 goals in 17 league matches, is that they have netted at home against United in 5 years! Of course, I doubt very much they will be blanked here, but still, this is not as easy a match for them as the prices would have you believe and straight away the price on the Manchester City win can be put aside as awful value.
Wayne Rooney has now scored 13 goals in his last 11 Premier League appearances, which is fantastic form. If you're looking at the Argentinian dream combo you have to consider him too. Sure, United have been pegged back, dropping 4 points in games they should have won, but look at what they've done recently, scoring 4 against Villa and 4 against Everton. It's not easy banging 4 past Everton.
BETTING VERDICT
I thought a bit about the bookings market, because this fixture always has been a hot-headed affair and it could get messy again as tempers boil over, what with so much on the line.
Then I noticed the price on the Away Goals market. United have already put 3 past City on two occasions this season. You can get a rather generous 2.62 on United to score at least 2 goals here. Both teams need the win, City more actually, so they will come forward and attack. United are never as dangerous as when they get a team come at them, and I think they will get on the scoresheet at least once. For that price, I'll take a chance on them coming through at least once more.
The Pick :
Manchester United to score at least 2
