WELCOME to Manchester… nothing to see here, well not as far as the title race is concerned.
Two out of three ain’t usually bad, except in City’s case it is, after two poor defeats against Spurs and Brighton in their opening three games.
United’s two out of three, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have been good so far, £66m Benjamin Sesko not so much.
While United’s first win of the season came only at the expense of – and after a scare against – relegation favourites Burnley, at least they still displayed the never, ever give up spirit of the Fergie glory days.
That counts for plenty come derby day, wherever it is.
There has been precious little of that on display from disjointed City, who don’t appear to be on the same page pretty much anywhere across the park but particularly at the back.
At the Amex, they looked like a side who thought they were gonna get beat when the bullets were flying at the business end of the game, and were duly toppled a minute from time.
They looked an awful long way from the side that won four titles in a row up to 2023-24.
Bet Balls
Arsenal to beat Forest 4-0 is 12-1 with BetGoodwin
Spurs to win 3-1 at West Ham is 12-1 with BetGoodwin
Draw half-time, Liverpool full-time v Burnley is 10-3 with BetGoodwin
Man United to win 2-1 at Man City is 11-1 with BetGoodwin
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And despite being the worst United side in living memory last season, Ruben Amorim’s side still took four points off City – including three at the Etihad, thanks to goals in the 88th and 90th minutes.
And with Mbeumo and Cunha in the ranks, they now carry two genuine matchwinners.
None of this convinces Coral’s Dave Stevens, who said: “City may trail Liverpool and Arsenal, but United are a world away from the big two. Evens for a top-six finish should be avoided at all costs.
“City cannot afford to lose this one, and I don’t think they will. The 4-6 about a home win isn’t the worst odds-on shot, and, for those that want something bigger, a City win and both teams to score at around 2-1 will do.”
United are trading at a best-price 18-5 with Bet MGM and I definitely think that is worth a look.
And our man at William Hill, Lee Phelps, who tipped England 2-0 against Andorra last week at 17-2, doesn’t entirely rule them out.
He said: “United’s chances may rest heavily on the fitness of Matheus Cunha, but a lot of eyes will be on the £66m man Benjamin Sesko, who is his side’s leading chance of a goal at 5-2.”
But love him or hate him, no one carries the United flame like skipper Bruno Fernandes. He’s created the most chances in the Premier League this season with 12 in just three games.
This could be when someone starts taking them. I also like penalty-taking Fernandes to score any time, at a best-priced 16-5 with Coral.
Overall, City look more vulnerable than 4-6 suggests so I’m gonna take the plunge on the best-priced 6-1 that United win and both teams score, with William Hill, 888 and Unibet.
Like the tortoise, sometimes you only get somewhere by sticking your neck out.
Dark horse
16-1: They did it last season and came from behind at death to beat City at the Etihad.
United are a whopping, best-price 16-1 with BetVictor to do it again tomorrow.
ONE of the greatest bets I ever had was on Craig Bellamy to score and celebrate with a golf swing.
The Wales manager was playing for Liverpool at Barcelona in the Champions League in 2007 – after the bonkers story leaked that he’d fallen out with team-mate John Arne Riise then clattered the full-back with a golf club while he was in bed!
At 66-1, to me that bet was a no-brainer – you were getting 66-1 Bellamy scored because he just had to do the golf celebration. Bellers duly obliged.
Which brings me to Alexander Isak. Going on strike and forcing his way out of Newcastle to Anfield has left a bad taste in the mouths of Geordie fans.
So he will be getting some serious stick when he faces them.
Well, Paddy Power go 10-11 he scores against the Toon when they’re on Merseyside in January, 7-1 he scores and celebrates, and – the big one – 22-1 that he scores and “shushes” the Newcastle fans.
Let’s be fair, stranger things have happened.
GOODWINNERS’ ENCLOSURE
BRING back the Premier League! Here at BetGoodwin Towers we’ve been twiddling our thumbs for the last week, – and besides Slovakia beating Germany, there hasn’t been much for our traders to get excited about!
The only other game really was England v Andorra. For games like that, it’s all about goals and handicap markets – and our punters expected England to roar to a major win against the minnows.
In the end, at only 2-0, we had the best of both worlds with Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions winning and the ‘unders’ being a good result for the book.
Then there was another turn up with the 5-0 win in Serbia. We didn’t lay a penny on the score pre-match but 4-5-6-0 was popular after the first couple went in. Overall, however, we didn’t sustain too much damage.
All eyes are on Manchester for the derby at the Etihad tomorrow but neither City or United have inspired in the opening weeks. Guardiola’s boys have lacked Pep, and Amorim’s Red Devils have looked a long way from hot.
Pep tends to overthink these types of games, and although they aren’t in great form, 7-2 for the away win might appeal.
So we’ve boosted United to win and BTTS to 13-2. And you can have penalty-taking Bruno Fernandes to score anytime to 100-30.
With the charges hanging over Man City, as well as the current squad rebuild, it’s hard to know what to make of them this season.
So if you fancy City to go potless this season, we’re laying no trophy at Evens.
Burnley may be currently above the likes of West Ham on goal difference but the market doesn’t like them – and they’re our clear favourites for relegation at 1-3. Sunderland and Wolves are next best at 4-5 shots.
But the eyecatchers are Brentford, who have been well backed at an interesting 12-5 for the drop.
We’ve gone a monster 14-1 with this week’s Nap Acca. We fancy Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Chelsea, West Brom and Wrexham all to do the biz this week.
Top Tips
Pro bet
Fulham to beat Leeds, West Brom to beat Derby, Southampton to beat Portsmouth (Sun), Barnsley to beat Reading, Bristol Rovers to beat Barrow. Acca pays 20-1 with Betfred.
Retirement bet
Sunderland to win at Palace, Hull to win at Swansea, Norwich to win at Coventry, Doncaster to win at Wigan, Rotherham to win at Wimbledon, Cheltenham to win at Crawley, Harrogate to win at Swindon, MK Dons to win at Chesterfield. Perm 1 x Acca, 8 x 7-folds, 28 x 6-folds. Acca pays 92,707-1 with Betfred.
Away day
Villa to win at Everton, Middlesbrough at Preston, Leicester at Oxford, Bristol City at Sheff Wed. Acca pays 29-1 with MGM.
Top draw
Bournemouth v Brighton, Charlton v Millwall, Bradford v Huddersfield, Fleetwood v Walsall. Acca pays 124-1 with Coral.
TV Special
Arsenal to beat Forest, Spurs to win at West Ham, Liverpool to win at Burnley, Man United to win at Man City. Acca pays 31-1 with Unibet.
TV Previews
Arsenal v Forest
ARSENAL fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of having ex-Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou for lunch today.
Unless he’s had a Road to Damascus conversion, his new Forest side will take the game to the Gunners.
And that will serve up the points for the home side.
Mikel Merino got a hat-trick for Spain last weekend and is a tidy 10-1 to open the scoring with Coral.
FORECAST: 4-0
West Ham v Spurs
WITHOUT Jarrod Bowen, it’s hard to say where West Ham would be – they’re fifth-bottom as it is.
The winger’s scored six and made three in his last nine games, including the opener at Forest where the Hammers got their first win this season.
After a great start, Spurs slipped up at home to Bournemouth but the Irons aren’t that good.
Away win and Bowen to score anytime at 5-2 with Ladbrokes.
FORECAST: 1-3
Burnley v Liverpool
TALL order for relegation favourites Burnley, who host champions Liverpool tomorrow.
The Reds own the Prem’s only 100 per cent record three games in and have £125million 6ft 3in striker Alexander Isak champing at the bit for his debut.
Throw in that they’ve won on their last five Turf Moor trips – the last four without conceding – and 4-11 is about right.
Consistent Cody Gakpo to strike first at 15-2 with Unibet.
FORECAST: 0-2
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