Manchester United might be 2-0-0 in its first two matches of the Premier League season this year, but there is definitely a concern about how the club is playing. Perhaps that will change against Newcastle, a team which has just one point to show for two matches, come Saturday.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Certainly, the Red Devils are expected to win this match going away. The oddsmakers have lined them as solid goal and a half favorites on the Asian Handicap alongside a moneyline price of -300. That makes United one of the biggest favorites already on the young season in the EPL.
The total in this one is high in spite of the fact that these two teams have only combined to score four times and allow four goals in two games. The number to beat is 2.5, but it's bordering on moving up to 3 because of the -140 vig on the over.
KEY INJURIES
Manchester United has one more match without Marouane Fellaini due to suspension, but the bigger question is what we are going to see up front. There's nothing wrong with either Memphis Depay or Wayne Rooney, but we wouldn't be surprised if either, or both ended up on the bench after a poor start to the season offensively for the Red Devils' offense.
Newcastle's injury report is disturbingly long for this time of year. The Magpies could get Remy Cabella and Siem de Jong back in the fold after each sat out against Swansea. Curtis Good figures to sit this one out along with Sylvain Marveaux. Moussa Sissoko was taken out against the Swans last weekend with a groin problem, one which is certainly worth watching as the week unfolds. Daryl Janmaat will be suspended after picking up two yellow cards against Swansea.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Memphis Depay, a different player, has a lot of unnecessary ball losses. That is why we don't create many chances, and we have to improve." – Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal on his newest striking option, Memphis Depay, who has been in poor form since transferring to Old Trafford
RECENT FORM
The Red Devils are technically 2-for-2 this year with 1-0 wins over Aston Villa and Tottenham, but you'd think they were still on no points the way their fans are reacting. The fact of the matter is that Man U has played stellar defensive soccer in the first two weeks of the year, and it is deserving of its six points in spite of the fact that its play in the last third has been anything but memorable.
Newcastle's defense meanwhile, has been horrible. This unit is just far too banged up right now to excel, and that's why both Southampton and Swansea netted twice against it. The Magpies have a 2-2 draw to show for their work at home against the Saints, but a 2-0 loss last week against Swansea was a poor showing.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Manchester United is going to end up winning this match, but we're not all that sure that it'll be by any other margin aside from the 1-0 wins we have become accustomed to seeing this early in the year.
If Sissoko is really out of the fold for Newcastle, we really question where the offense is going to come from against a strong Man United defense. Papiss Demba Cisse can't do this all on his own, and Georginio Wijnaldum, the team's best attacking midfielder at the moment, probably isn't creative enough at this point in his career to make goals happen consistently at this level.
We're onboard with United to take three points, but until Depay or Rooney really step up their game, we can't lay a goal and a half with the Red Devils.
Manchester United 1, Newcastle 0
BookMaker has English Premier League lines for every match of the season. Manchester United is lined as a -300 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.
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