Can you believe it? We’re just a couple of weeks away from the start of the new Premier League season and excitement is slowly building for the return of the world’s most popular soccer league. The league’s opening match will surely whet the appetite of soccer fans all over the globe as Manchester United take on Tottenham in a mouth-watering clash at Old Trafford.
Who will emerge victorious in this showdown between two of the league’s top sides? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this blockbuster matchup and while you’re at it, you can check out our EPL match previews of Chelsea vs. Swansea and Arsenal vs. West Ham.
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Manchester United vs. Tottenham Betting Preview
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Saturday, August 8, 7:45 AM ET
Line: Tottenham +440 at Manchester United -190, tie +270; total 2.5 – view all EPL lines
Betting on Manchester United
“We have to win every game at Old Trafford if we want to be competing for the title.”
With just days remaining before the start of a new Premier League campaign, Marouane Fellaini didn’t mince any words when asked about United’s chances of winning the championship this season. The Red Devils finished a whopping 17 points behind champions Chelsea last season and the Belgian midfielder believes that they can make up that deficit by improving on their home form this year.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Manchester United recorded 44 points at Old Trafford last season, the third-best home mark in the Premier League last campaign. It was a marked improvement from their atrocious showing under David Moyes the previous season wherein they grabbed just 30 points from their 19 home games.
To have a shot at the league title this season, United can ill afford to repeat their horrible start last year. The Red Devils suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Swansea in Louis van Gaal’s first competitive game as Manchester United manager. It was the first time since 1972 that the Red Devils were beaten at home on the opening day of the league season.
The Red Devils need to hit the ground running this time around and they will be boosted by the additions of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay. Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin will finally provide the stability in midfield while Depay is expected to bring more goals to the United frontline. The former PSV Eindhoven star scored 39 goals in 64 appearances for the Dutch club.
What gives United supporters optimism this season, though, is van Gaal’s decision to put Rooney in his preferred central striker position. After toiling in midfield for majority of last season, Rooney will now serve as the focal point of United’s attack. When he last played that position in the 2011-12 season, Rooney scored a career-high 34 goals. He’s expected to boost a United offense that scored 62 goals last season, fourth-best in the entire Premier League.
Manchester United are 3-1-1 in their last five Premier League home games.
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Betting on Tottenham
Mauricio Pochettino’s first year in charge of Tottenham couldn’t have gone much better after guiding the North London club to a fifth-place finish in the Premier League last season. Spurs finished with 64 points last campaign, 23 points behind champions Chelsea.
While he was satisfied with Tottenham’s performance in his first 12 months at White Hart Lane, Pochettino expects his side to improve further on their league form this coming season. He has made it clear that he wants Tottenham to secure a top-four finish this campaign.
Tottenham will have their work cut out for them right from the start as they will face 20-time champions Manchester United on the road in their league opener. Spurs will fancy their chances, however, of stunning the Red Devils as they have fared extremely well against them of late. Following a run of 17 losses and no wins in 22 Premier League matches against Manchester United, Tottenham are now 2-3-1 in their last six league outings against them.
Expected to lead the Spurs attack in this fiery opener is star striker Harry Kane. The England international was phenomenal for Tottenham last season, grabbing an incredible 31 goals. He became the first Tottenham player since Gary Lineker to score at least 30 goals in a single season. He scored 21 of those 31 goals in the English Premier League, a figure reached by club legends Jurgen Klinsmann, Teddy Sheringham and Gareth Bale in years gone by.
Apart from Kane, it will also be interesting to see the impact of new signing Toby Alderweireld. He was one of the best defenders in the Premier League when on loan at Southampton last season. He will help shore up a Tottenham defense that allowed a whopping 53 goals, seventh-worst in the entire Premier League last season.
Tottenham are 2-1-2 in their last five road games in the Premier League.
Writer’s Prediction
Manchester United begin their quest for a record 21st league title with a 2-0 win (-190).
