Arsenal v Manchester United
Football: England, Premier League 2009/2010
Sunday, 31st January 2010 - Kickoff 4pm

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This is another big game as Arsenal will host Manchester United at the Emirates.

Arsenal : 3rd : Home Record - 9-1-1 34:11
Arsene Wenger will be without a lot of key players going into this game. Eduardo is Arsenal latest casualty as he joins strike partner Van Persie on the sidelines alongside, Vermaelen, Merida, Diaby, Gibbs and Djourou.

Arsenal will have to risk Sol Campbell, who at the age of 35 will have to play his 3rd game in a week and he will have the task of stoping Rooney. No doubt Campbell will have the experience to deal with Wayne Rooney but the pace and flair of Rooney might seem too much for the former England international to deal with especially later on in the game.

Manchester United : 2nd : Away Record - 6-1-4 22:11
Team news for Alex Ferguson’s side has improved tremendously over the past month. With only one fit senior defender last month, Ferguson has now almost an entire squad to select from apart from Owen Hargreaves and John O’Shea who are out with long term injuries while Rio Ferdinand is suspended for the game.

Manchester United is likely to deploy a five man midfield with Carrick, Scholes and Fletcher in the middle of the park given the job to neutralize the young Spaniard, Fabregas. With the ever hardworking Fletcher and Carrick sitting in front of the defense, I believe Fabregas would find it more difficult to move around.

Asian Handicap Betting Analysis :
Under the AH line this season, Arsenal have paid out on seven out of their eleven home games this season. There have been three failures on the handicap line came against Everton, Chelsea and Birmingham.

Manchester United have been profitable six of their eleven away games on the road this season under the AH line. The six win came against Hull, West Ham, Portsmouth, Stoke, Spurs and Wigan.

That makes Manchester United the second most profitable away team in the EPL based on the handicap line. The best team might surprise you - Birmingham City.

Head to head :
Manchester United has yet to win in three attempts at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League - although they have won here in the Champions League.

The closest United came to a domestic league game came was back in 2007 where a last min equaliser from Arsenal levelled the game. The last time Manchester won away to Arsenal was back in Feb 2005, some five years ago.

The Betting Verdict :

I believe this would go down to the wire. Both sides cannot afford to lose to one another as both are trying to challenge Chelsea for the title. However I believe that the match would be won and lost between two players, Wayne Rooney and Cesc Fabregas.

Both managers knows that their chances in winning the game would be high if either one could neutralize the threat of either Rooney or Fabregas.

I cannot seperate the sides, and think a draw is likely - it's occured in 3 of the last six London clashes between the two sides.

The Statistics :

The Pick :

Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Consider trying a draw but only as your side bet.

Consider trying over 4.5 yellow cards as things might heat up

HANDICAP BETTING :

Take Manchester United with +0.25 goal headstart