The 2018-2019 season of the English Premier League has already offered us a couple of thrilling games. The one between Chelsea and Arsenal springs to mind, but there are a lot more follow.
There are at least one or two clashes between top sides most weeks throughout the season.
This week is no exception, as Manchester United will face Tottenham Hotspur tonight. Despite the fact that it’s so early in the season, this match is of huge importance, especially for the Red Devils.
Jose Mourinho and his team are under pressure to perform after the unconvincing start so far. United could’ve easily lost some points on the opening day against Leicester, and then they got beaten by Brighton. It’s not exactly what the supporters or the board expect.
But still, a win against a side like Tottenham will give Man United a huge boost. It won’t be easy to achieve, though. Although Spurs failed to sign any new players in the summer, they managed to keep the core of the side that was behind their solid performances from the past couple of seasons.
Let’s take a deeper look at this game and the betting odds offered by the bookies.
Here are the main betting markets related to this match.
The bookies see this game as a close contest, and it’s easy to understand why. Both sides are top-4 contenders, and Tottenham is in better shape since the start of the season, but the home factor is what evens the odds to an extent.
As for the goals market, it’s a bit tricky. I see the logic behind the line and the prices, as Mourinho is usually negative in games such as this one.
On the other hand, his current team has all sorts of problems at the back and can’t be relied upon to keep the goals against down. More on that later.
Let’s take a look at what we know about the clubs based on the first two games of the season.
The manager of Manchester United, Jose Mourinho, was unsatisfied with his side in the preseason, and the start of the new campaign proves that his concerns were legitimate. The win against Leicester at home was a good start, but it’s hard to say that the team performed well.
The Foxes had enough chances to score more than 1 goal, and it’s obvious that the defense is not working right now. Mourinho wanted new players in order to fix it, but the transfer window is now over, and Man United didn’t sign anyone.
As a result, the back line was terrible against Brighton and conceded three goals. I’m not sure if the team has the right personnel, but Jose will have to find a way to stabilize things.
He’s the master of defensive tactics, but as Gary Neville said, the team lacks the players.
A lot of the United players are not in their best condition at the moment because they had a deep run in the World Cup. If you add the injury of Alexis Sanchez, who is doubtful, Mourinho certainly has a lot to worry about in both the long and short term.
I’m not sure if the Portuguese manager will cope with all of that, especially since the supporters and the board are not entirely behind him. The situation doesn’t look good, which is why I’m not sure if Jose will actually finish the season in Manchester United.
Despite the lack of new signings, the atmosphere around Tottenham is relaxed. Everyone trusts the manager, Mauricio Pochettino, and the club kept all of its important players. This group has been working together for a couple of years, and Tottenham has improved steadily.
The likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and many of the other Spurs players are still young and have room to improve. This is why no one sees the lack of incoming transfers as a big deal, but it could affect the depth of the squad at some point.
Still, the start of the season has been brilliant so far, as Tottenham is one of the teams that have two wins.
What could be a little worrying is that Tottenham conceded in both games. The defense doesn’t look as solid as it was last year so far, and this could cost them in certain matches. A team like Manchester United could certainly take advantage.
On the positive side, there are no major injuries or suspensions. Pochettino will be able to count on most of his players against the Red Devils. The question is if he goes for defensive stability or a bold display designed to take full advantage of Manchester United’s issues.
I’m not entirely sure what to expect from this game. Jose Mourinho’s style in difficult circumstances is to rely on his defense and set his team in a negative fashion. However, he was heavily criticized for that last year, and the crowd is unhappy to watch Manchester United play like that at home.
On top of that, the defense isn’t working right now, so relying on it too much could lead to a disaster. This is why I don’t expect a too conservative approach from Jose. He will try to score some goals, as we already saw that the Spurs are not that stable, either.
The bigger question, for me, is what Pochettino would do. He will surely be tempted to try and go for it right from the start. The opponent is obviously vulnerable, and Tottenham has the means to punish every mistake.
On the other hand, the Argentinian manager is a reasonable man who works hard on the details and will probably stay patient. If you are too aggressive against a Mourinho team, you could pay the price.
I don’t have a solid prediction when it comes to the winner of this match, so I won’t touch this market. However, both teams have been scoring and conceding so far, so I could see more of the same. The over 2.5 market is tempting, and the price is around the 2.00 mark at most bookies.
I would say that a 2-1 for either of the teams won’t surprise me, so this is my final pick.
I’m excited to watch this game, as it could have huge consequences on the season in general. If Spurs win this one, they will have a lot of confidence going forward and could mount a serious title challenge.
At the same time, this could be the beginning of the end for Jose Mourinho. The pressure is already on, and another defeat could easily lead to a meltdown. What do you think will happen? Let me know in the comments below.
Good luck!
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