After a long offseason, Premier League soccer is back! The curtain-raiser of the season pits arch rivals against each other in an important duel. We might very well look back at this Match Day 1 affair between Manchester United and Tottenham as one of the most important battles in the quest for a Champions League spot of the season.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Manchester United is the odds-on favorite in this match by a comfortable margin. The Red Devils are -165 on the three-way line, and they are favored by a goal on the Asian Handicap as well. Considering the fact that Man U went 14-2-3 last season at home with a +26 goal differential, betting on the hosts might be a reasonable idea.
The total in this one is modest at a flat 2.5 at -110 vig on each side.
KEY INJURIES
Tottenham only has a couple minor knocks to worry about. Alex Pritchard, who probably wouldn't be in the Starting XI more often than not, has an ankle injury which will cost him the beginning of the season, while Andros Townsend has a shoulder problem which has him 50/50 to start this year on the pitch.
Manchester United won't have Javier Hernandez thanks to a broken collarbone suffered in the preseason, while Marouane Fellaini is suspended for this match after a violent conduct foul against Hull City at the end of last year.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"He's impressed me in the preseason. He's quick, strong and looks as if he's a good finisher. He's going to be a big plus for United as far as I see it, but you can't get carried away with friendly games." – Manchester United legend Bryan Robson on Memphis Depay, who is going to be asked to take the place of the sold Angel Di Maria in the lineup
RECENT FORM
The Red Devils were good, yet not spectacular in the International Champions Cup. The team did beat Club America, the San Jose Earthquakes and Spanish giant, Barcelona, but wrapping up with a 2-0 loss to PSG wasn't anywhere near acceptable.
Tottenham was poor in international friendlies as well. The team had everything stacked against it versus the MLS All-Stars in a 2-1 defeat, though better was expected against Real Madrid than a 2-0 loss in the Audi Cup as well. The Spurs did take out AC Milan 2-0 in the consolation game in the Audi Cup, but that was little reward for a team which had such a rough start to the campaign.
TALKING TOTALS
Last season was a high-scoring one for both of these teams, relatively speaking. The average EPL game featured 2.57 goals per game last year.
Manchester United was just above the curve with 2.61 total goals per game, while Tottenham, a team which allowed more goals than anyone else in the top 13 spots on the table, averaged a total of 2.92 goals per game.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Tottenham really hasn't done anything to prove to us that its defensive problems are fixed, and that's really bad news in this one.
Though Fellaini is suspended for this match, we still love what the Red Devils are bringing to the table with Wayne Rooney and Depay. This striker tandem should end up being a little more productive than Rooney was last season with Di Maria up front, and that alone should give the hosts a real edge to open up the year.
Yes, there's a concern about the way that United started last year with an ominous loss at home to Swansea City, but this will be a much better opening act. Laying the -1 is a solid bet on the Asian Handicap, knowing that Tottenham is certainly going to be favored to allow at least two in this one, and it might not have any answer on the other end of the pitch if Harry Kane is held in check.
Manchester United 2, Tottenham 0
BookMaker has EPL lines for every match of the season. Manchester United is lined as a -165 moneyline favorite, while the total is set at 2.5. You can make a futures bet and predict the champion, wager on head-to-head matchups or use BookMaker’s live betting feature to gamble while the match is happening.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The fixture between Manchester United and Tottenham is scheduled for Saturday, August 8, 2015, at 7:45 a.m. ET at Old Trafford. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.
