West Brom vs Manchester United Betting Pick | English Premier

English Premier

2011-08-14 - West Brom vs Manchester United

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

West Brom v Manchester United
Football : English Premier League
Sunday 14 August 2011 - Kickoff 4:05pm
This game is live on TV

West Brom

At this stage last season, Roy Hodgson was preparing his Liverpool side for his first game at Anfield- now a year later he gets ready for another season where he hopes to restore his battered image and show that he can get the best out of a squad like he did in his time at Fulham.

Hodgson oversaw a very good end to the season for West Brom as it looked like the side were sliding into the Championship under Roberto Di Matteo. The manager has not gone for a massive overhaul of the squad this Summer, but the signing of Ben Foster should help improve a defence that conceded far too many goals last season. Zoltan Gera is reunited with Hodgson after moving from Fulham and will provide additional creativity in the final third.

The Baggies finished in a very respectable 11th last season as they survived their first season back in the top flight. They were strong at the Hawthornes, finishing the season with a 8-6-5 record, scoring 30 goals and conceding 30.

They lost just 1 of their last 9 home games in the Premier League, that coming to Chelsea, but West Brom did pick up positive results against Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton in that stretch of games.

Steven Reid is doubtful, but Peter Odemwingie, despite a bid from Wigan, and Youssouf Mulumbu are likely to be in the starting line up. Jerome Thomas and Paul Scharner are also set to be passed fit to play.

Manchester United

Manchester United are the favourites to win the Premier League for the 5th time in the past 6 seasons and they really set a marker down in the Community Shield last week by completely outclassing Manchester City. While United themselves were taught a lesson by Barcelona in the Champions League Final last May, they still look a step ahead of the competition in England.

Sir Alex Ferguson has never been one to rest on his laurels following a title winning season, and he quickly set about his business this year with the signings of David De Gea, Ashley Young and Phil Jones before celebrations from last season had finished. The likes of Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck are also in line to get more chances in the first team after the retirement of Paul Scholes and both players have had a season of Premier League football at Wigan and Sunderland respectively.

United won the League at a canter last season, but there is clearly one area that they will be demanding improvements of themselves and that is getting results away from home. The Red Devils finished with a 5-10-4 away record meaning they had as many away wins as the likes of Newcastle, Sunderland and Blackpool. United scored 29 goals and conceded 25 in the 19 away League games they played last season.

The struggles continued for much of the season and United won just 1 of their last 6 away games in the League and even in that game United trailed to West Ham United by 2-0 before overturning the result and winning 2-4.

Javier Hernandez is out with a concussion and unlikely to play until after the International break in September. Antonio Valencia is due to play a reserve game on Monday night along with Darren Fletcher. Michael Carrick and Danny Welbeck should be available, but Patrice Evra is looking like a real doubt.

Head to Head

West Brom were beaten here 1-2 on January 1st in a game where the Baggies missed a penalty when the game was tied 1-1.

Manchester United have won 5 of the last 6 League meetings between the sides, although West Brom can be proud of the fact they were the only Premier League team to pick up a point at Old Trafford last season when coming back from 2-0 down.

United have won all 5 games played at the Hawthornes in the Premier League.

Prediction

Regardless of United's strong record on this ground, the first thing I will say is the 1.60 is ridiculously short for a team that won just 5 of 19 away games in the League last season- that is a price I cannot contemplate taking.

West Brom showed how tough they could make life for United last season and probably deserved a lot more than what they got in the 1-2 home defeat they suffered.

Roy Hodgson has also given United a tough time in the recent past with his Fulham side securing two wins over United in home games in the League.

With United being notoriously slow starters, this could be a very tough game and I can see some people taking the value on West Brom on the Asian Handicap.

However, I think the best way to get on this game is backing goals, a common occurrence when these two teams play one another. West Brom like playing their football, while United's attacking potential is well documented and I can see an entertaining game.

8 of the last 9 League meetings between the sides have seen 3 or more goals scored, while all 5 games at the Hawthornes have also seen 3 or more goals scored.

The price on the Over 2.5 goals option looks the much better value to take in this game and will be the way I look to play this game.